a 55-gallon drum

Many people who read this blog know my dad. Probably most either know him directly or have heard some fable about him. He is a very strange man; sometimes funny, sometimes annoying.

Years and years ago my Dad drank a Pepsi and got ill that night. When I say 'ill' I don't mean long-term or terminal, I mean sick. After that, when ever we went out to eat and the server asked for a drink order, he would always feel obligated to explain his prior episode with Pepsi much to the horror of anyone within earshot.

Following his short lived *Pepsi boycott* he became a 'water person.' *I think it was a couple of years, but he would explain it to the server in a time-span of months... like a mother keeps track of her '22- month-old' my dad swore off Pepsi for 'x months'.*

My dad is extravagant; everything he does is "over the top." Now, when he orders water he will explain in great detail that he is diabetic and needs lots of water (for a visual to back up his story he will usually point to the plethora of medications he has brought into the restaurant and lined up at the edge of the table.) He always, without fail, asks the server to bring him out a "55-gallon-drum of water". Once the server brings him a glass he will pound it while holding up his pointer finger (motioning for them to wait) and then hand them the empty ice filled glass for a refill.

Honestly, I dread this.

What does this have to do with anything? We had our "fun day" at work the other day. We (my coworkers) went kayaking on the Contoocook River and had a team picnic on Daisy Beach, swam, went on a rope swing and so on... so much fun. Later, my boss took us all out for drinks and munchies. Now, I love a good drink from time to time but after I have been physically exerting myself in the sun, I know I need my H2O. Jokingly, I asked the server to bring me out a "big water" and he brought me this...

I am my father's daughter.