In defense of Freedom

Now as you all know, I have traveled and lived in many places. This has been good both for my personal growth and give me instant conversation starters at parties. But it has also helped me to appreciate the place I am from. America. The land of opportunity...and free refills.

So I also took it as a point of consternation that other places made me pay some $2.50 for every refill, causing me to rethink my soda-drinking habits, while here in the US I could find that $1.75 was a ticket to unlimited carbonated delight. I have now discovered that this is a misconception.

Like many things in life, the truly great aspects of material living exist only in the South. By this I mean lower property values, cheaper gas, lower cost of living, and free refills.

So you can imagine my indignation the first time I was told, "no free refills." I thought it was a joke. But then it happened again. And again. And Again. So before I knew it, I had been made to face reality. The joy of high fructose corn syrup and carbonated water was not to be felt here to the extent of the motherland to the South. I would have to make a compromise in my hydration techniques. The other day I simply ordered water...WHAT?!?!

So I speak out now in defense of the true American value of freedom. Here that promise rings true more than another other place in the world, except that I have found a most unfortunate infringement upon that taken-for-granted characteristic of America.

Give me (free-refill) liberty or give me death (by unquenched thirst).