Bad Influence

I grew up on the diet coke. It was a staple in my family. Everyone knew that if they wanted a coke product all they had to do was go the the White's and check the fridge in the garage. It was always fully stocked. I remember my mom putting "Tab" in my sisters bottle to keep her quiet on a drive bc she didnt have anything else to offer her. At the time I remember thinking it was normal. Doesnt everyone do that? So In my family, its not only accepted to drink coke products, its almost required. And we like to start them out young. The younger the better..

ie.. This picture demonstrates grandpa helping his 1 yr. old grandaughter have a taste.


Scott grew up with a different story. He tells the story of walking down to the local 7-11 and buying a coke with his own money and coming home only to have his mom take one look at it, scold him and dump it down the drain.
Ive also heard the story of the Smith family out to dinner and Jeff ordering a coke. Genevieve {Scotts mom} bluntly said "I will not pay for your drink if you order a coke!!" So he changed it to a rootbeer, which sufficed for her.
I always knew that my addiction bothered her, but being the patient, kind person that she is, she never said much about it. At first, I was uncomfortable even bringing my diet coke into her house. But slowly that seemed to be more and more okay. She would say things like "if you guys want to poison your body with that stuff, thats your choice.." She was talking to me and Scott, Anth, Kathryn and Heidi bc Gary never saw much of a need for it either. We would just laugh.
Then the most wonderful thing happened! Kathryn married Randy! And he is just as much a fan of the diet coke as me! Well when Randy would come and stay with Genevieve for Christmas he would buy 12 packs and leave them in the garage. This was a bold move.
I have a song on my ipod by Pink called "bad influence" and I have to smirk a little when I hear it bc it reminds me of me. Or at least what some would say reminds them of me..{maybe not now so much, but once upon a time.} The lyrics among others are "I cant help it I like to party, its genetic, its electrifying, wind me up and watch me go, where she stops nobody knows, A good excuse to be a BAD INFLUENCE on you! and you, and you!! But to be able to influence my mother in law??!! NO WAY! So you can imagine my shock when I showed up this year for Christmas Eve and saw this in her fridge!!!!!

NOT IN THE GARAGE, BUT INSIDE THE HOUSE, IN HER FRIDGE AND ON HER DIME!!! THIS YEAR, SHE ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE POISON FOR US!!

I said "GEN! you bought us Diet coke??!!" And she just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. I was stunned. And can I say with a little of my bad influence coming through, I was a little bit proud of her??

At least im not solely to blame for this atrocious accomplishment...Randy....Heidi...