Uncle Ott’s Store

The Paradise Across the Street

On many hot, still afternoons when the heat waves could be seen above the asphalt in the street, Mom would let us cross the road and go to Uncle Ott’s store to get a “Coke” as they were all called “Cokes” then even if you bought a root beer or a Dr. Pepper. Even if you purchased a red cream soda, it was still referred to as if you’d bought a Coke.

Down in this part of Arkansas, there were no “soft drinks” or, perish the thought, “sodas.” A soft drink was just a “Coke.” we considered sodas a concoction made at the corner drug store up the…