I believe it was at Lalbagh Fort, in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2007 when I became thirsty. That’s deep. But, what was I to do in a place where drinking from the tap could have easily meant getting more familiar with the patterns on bathroom tiles than urban points of interest? Not to mention, a day earlier at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar, I spotted a kiosk attendant refilling bottles with the hose du jour, but don’t worry, I won’t reveal how many bottles.
So, with my thirst in mind, which drinks remained? The “juices” had more sugar than the usual sodas, the usual sodas weren’t the usual sodas, and the only other choice available was a melted Cadbury chocolate bar. Oh, but what was it about those carbonated beverages that made them unique, prominent, rare? None other than RC Cola and Virgin Red, together no less?!
What a nostalgic moment. RC Cola, based in Columbus, Georgia (US) used to have vending machines at summer camps, back when a can cost US$0.35. As for the other, I first (well, the ONLY other time) saw Virgin cola in Northampton, Massachusetts (US) in 1998, and bought it, somehow expecting to never see it again. I’ve never seen either in New York, but RC has popped up on occasion in other parts of the US. That Lalbagh Fort is some time warp…who is in charge of their F&B purchasing? How old were those drinks? Why did I buy both? When did I last buy soda?
*HFCS – high fructose corn syrup
Have you ever seen these two drinks? Do you drink soda anyway?
Collateral Lettuce 
I’ve been seeing RC more and more regularly in DeeCee…are they making a comeback? I’m still waiting for the OK Soda revival
My great-grandmother used to have glass bottles of RC Cola in the fridge when I was little. As a data point: she lived in Ogden, Utah.
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