Okay, so this is going to be a weird story, but bear with me.
In August 2019, I was out wandering around at a summer festival, and I had a panic attack. The heat, the crowd, everything was getting to me. I needed to sit down, catch my breath, calm down and focus, maybe get something to drink in case I was dehydrated.
As luck would have it, there was a stall nearby selling soft drinks. In drip bags, that look like the kind of thing you'd get hooked up to at the hospital. An A&E unit waiting right there for me.
It was, in the strangest way, completely perfect. The key to my recovery, and it gave me a much-needed bloody good laugh at the same time.
Speaking of 'bloody good', I chose the red one on purpose. (They don't call me a vampire for nothing.) There were other colours and flavours on offer, bagged up and ready to go. The IV tube coming out of each bag is the super long straw.
The drinks themselves weren't anything to write home about. Basic sugary fruit soda. It tasted fine, and gave me a boost (hey there, sugar content) but I can't say it was memorable. I don't even remember if the stall had a name.
Since the coronavirus came along and ruined summer festivals, you don't see weird and fun stuff like this any more. The last few years, even the outdoor events have been cancelled or limited to a much smaller crowd - with food and entertainment stands banned. Yeah, it's for health and safety reasons, and I understand that. I just think it's a shame.
As this whole blog shows, a big part of my life in Japan is seeking out interesting things (mostly food and drink). As the gaps in my post history show, Covid has taken a lot of those opportunities away. I haven't been to a festival or a food stand for over 2 years.
Hopefully some day soon I'll be able to share unusual stories like this again...