Wink

While most people’s soft drink of choice is either Coke or Pepsi, my soft drink of choice is Wink. Wink is a bottled soda that has a strong grapefruit taste but not the strong aftertaste of grapefruit juice. It is carbonated and, to me, is about perfect as a soft drink. For years, I would buy the two-liter bottles, refrigerate them, and share them with house guests. My crossword puzzle partner who would come over to work with me to conquer the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle also became a Wink addict. Occasionally we would work the puzzle at his house when he would have to buy the Wink. However, he swore that Wink did not taste the same at his house as it did at mine. A couple of years ago, Wink disappeared from the grocery shelves. When I first asked clerks about it, they would just wink at me and say, “There’s your wink.” Very funny. Finally, I gave up but didn’t substitute another soft drink for my preference. There was no substitute. Recently, when my elder son was visiting this area, I mentioned to him how I missed Wink. He immediately went to his laptop and came back a few minutes later and announced, “I ordered you a case of Wink.” When I questioned him where he had found it, he said, “Amazon.com.” It was true. Amazon had Wink, and a few weeks later I had nine bottles which I drank as precious liquids. After my supply was gone, I ordered a case that I paid for myself, but the shipping cost was prohibitive. I have now made out a work order for Wink that I am passing out to the grocery stores I frequent. Surely, someone can find the source of Wink and can replenish the shelves. In the meantime, if there are any “Winkers” out there, please let your grocery store know that we are determined to see the return of Wink.