Sinalco

I will think positive. There are things in life worth savouring and going ga-ga over. They might be little events, things of no particular consequence, casual words, the twinkle in someone's eye, the tilt of the lips in breaking a smile, a chance encounter with a stranger or even an empty can of soft drink.....

Last Sunday was rather ordinary. We were at Holland Village for lunch because it had been ages since we set foot in this bohemian enclave. Amazed at the many changes since, we decided to eat at a former dilapidated structure renovated to the current spanking Holland Village Market & Food Centre. This eatery has been touted to give the ritzy wine bars and fine dining restaurants a run for their money.

I was the drink-taker that day because I just had to have my iced kopi-si fix, fast. The hubby ordered "Sinalco". Perhaps I had been living in Mars but for the life of me, I could not associate Sinalco with any soft drink I knew. It was also not displayed on the stall's shelves.

Skepticially, I asked the elderly drinks seller "Uncle, do you have Sinalco?" With a twinkle in his eye, he said "You're really lucky. This is my last can." With that, he went to the fridge at the back of his stall and took out that precious can of Sinalco. "It must be before your time. This is a very old drink, at least 40 to 50 years old." I remember Kickapoo and Green Spot but not Sinalco. That's strange.

As we were finishing our lunch, another elderly man approached us and asked if we could spare him our empty can of Sinalco. To say there was a stunned moment of confusion was an understatement. Two Sinalco encounters within 45 minutes? Was Candid Camera lurking around to make fun of innocent diners?

He was a distinguished-looking man in his 60s and came across as articulate and pleasant. He explained that he had wanted to order Sinalco but the drinks seller had sold his last can to me. He had been waiting for us to finish our lunch so he could collect the empty can.

With a sheepish smile, he confided that he has been a Sinalco lover since childhood and now collects all its memorabilia. He went on to share that Sinalco is one Germany’s oldest soft drinks brand and had surpassed Kickapoo and Green Spot in popularity during his time.

A little chance encounter but so much history to learn! I felt particularly put in my place (and rightly so, I mused) because all I knew growing up was McDonald's and Coke. There is this great big world out there with rich history of food and beverages from different eras and cultures. Sometimes it's not even about the food but rather, a fad of following, an identification, a reminiscence and a slice of history a person wishes to preserve forever.

Just like the elderly uncle and his Sinalco memorabilia. I can't help but smile whenever I think of our empty can taking its place in his home.