This was my first introduction to Yoo-Hoo. Little did I know that day as I was writing my check to pay for the BEASTIE Boys album "Check Your Head" that my life, as I knew it, was about to change forever.
The Summer of 1994 I graduated from Cottonwood High School. In celebration of our graduation, My friends; Paul Holmes, Samir Naik, and I had decided to take a trip to New York City. We arrived on June xx, 1994 in Newark, New Jersey. The first day in New York City was truly a sensory overload. So many people, So much money, so many fly girls dressed to kill, and so much culture. Although we were three naive kids from Salt Lake City, Utah, we immediately fell in love with the allure of The City.
As we retired to our hotel after our first day in New York, we spied a small convenience store. The Stage Door. It was easy to miss, nestled between two XXX movie houses, but somehow she called to us. Enticing us to refresh ourselves within the comforts of her doors.
Inside we found a small narrow bake shop stocked with the most interesting pastries and cakes, a small deli, and a whole wall lined with cases of cold beverages. That is when we saw the small, yellow labeled bottle.
I am normally a big fan of Utah. Oftentimes, Utah is criticised for its lack of social life and its strict drinking laws. You see, even though Yoo-Hoo is indeed non-alchoholic, State officials in Utah are aware of the mistique that surrounds the Non-Dairy-Based Chocolate delight. As a result, the beverage is not distributed in Utah. Probably the only State in the Union with such a burdensome curse.
Scanning the coolers for a beverage that would satisfy my thirst, the yellow label caught my eye. I passed it up once but then my training in BEASTIE Boys lyrics kicked in. They say that once you practice enough, skills become second nature. Thank The Maker that I had spent countless hours committing these lyrics to memory. I heard the words of my man MCA come rushing back into my head as I reached for the glass bottle.
The next couple minutes can only be described as a life changing epiphany. I had never realized how much pleasure could be gleaned from a single beverage. We would return twice daily to purchase the elixer and I felt as if I became one with The City as the 99% cholesterol free liquid coursed through my veins. My life will never be the same.
Now whenever I have the opportunity to travel to neighboring states, I am
always sure to bring plenty of greenbacks with which to purchase the mysterious
beverage with the flashy yellow label.