“Remoted” – Day 466 (Friday)

It was another vacation day, and because it’s been a few months since my last visit, it was back to the dentist for a check on a newly-developed problem with the previously problematic crown of last summer. Last summer saw the saga of the COVID-delayed visit to finish the crown on the tooth that broke on popcorn in February and had me in the dental chair for a super special Valentine’s Day. When the office reopened, there was the crown fitting and ordering, the attempted delivery when the crown didn’t fit, followed by a new crown and installation. Then, this past winter, it was the unbridled excitement of the routine cleaning and 18 x-rays resulting in TMJ and a full week of not being able to open my mouth wide enough to eat. So much fun.

Understandably, it was totally thrilling to interrupt yet another vacation day to return to the dentist to have the same tooth checked again due to new jaw swelling, gum irritation, bleeding, and other gross things. Note, the term “thrilling” here is used loosely and definitely and specifically means "frigging filled with dread." There was some tapping on teeth, poking around in the mouth and under the jaw, and after another x-ray, the verdict was <drum roll, please> … a root canal! This is scheduled for the afternoon of July 2 to kick off the Independence Day weekend with a spectacular bang.

The reward for being a mature adult and going to the dentist was a stop at my favorite directly-on-my-flight-path package store to check on the presence of Long Drink, a Finnish beverage described as “A refreshing citrus soda with a premium liquor kick.” A brilliant social media marketing plan has resulted in Long Drink working its way firmly into my consciousness and developing a sense of desperation to water my Finnish roots with a drink from the land of my people. 

The start of a Long relationship.

The Long Drink website was visited earlier in the week to check on local availability. The site listed a chain store with locations in Shrewsbury and Danvers, and knowing I’d be in Worcester on Saturday, Shrewsbury was a distinct possibility. The bonus to being in Leominster today was twice driving by Kappy’s at the Twin City Plaza in the regular and logical route. It would be stupid to not shop for it today.

Barely ten seconds in the store and likely looking confused while scanning the signs over the expansive aisles, an angel of alcohol purveyance asked if I needed help, then led me directly to an impressive towering display of six packs of the four flavors of Long Drink of Finland. Options were Long Drink Traditional, Zero (no carbs!), Strong (high gravity!), and Cranberry.

I was through the checkout and out the door with a sixer of Long Drink Strong in no time. If I’m going to drink like my kin, it’s all in with the alcohol content, baby. I didn’t even get a bag, and proudly carried my exposed package of Long Drink Strong to the car.

At 5:00 and several hours after returning home, it was well past the vacation day time for a chilled bevvie. The top was popped on my first can of now-chilled Long Drink, “gin with natural grapefruit and juniper berry flavors and carbonation.” A familiar scent like Fresca wafted from the can and it was instant love. It smells like Fresca, it looks like Fresca, and I can’t even taste the gin listed in the ingredients, which is good, because since an unfortunate introduction to Tanqueray and Tonic in college, gin has been deliberately avoided as if it would kill me. 

Long Drink won me over immediately, which is good news. It would be unfortunate to have five more cans sitting in the fridge taunting me while I avoided them in perpetuity. The successful introduction feels like the start of a wonderful Long relationship, delivered in 12 ounce installments.