SURGE

Its logo looked dangerous enough to scare the dog-collar-wearing sixth graders, and its kick got even the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ crowd off the sofa.

It was called Surge – that yellowy, neon green mess of liquid sugar. Popular in the late 90s, it was quickly taken off the market after doctors (and possibly the FDA) got wind of its acid-like qualities.

Surge was perfect for summer days when you slept in until noon, didn’t stress about 12-page papers or deadlines and needed that extra kick to get yourself away from ‘Pepper Ann’ marathons on ‘One Saturday Morning.’

Or better, for those last minute sleepovers in fifth grade when all you ate were marshmallows, sour gummy worms and Surge – just so you could last until, gasp, midnight.

My fondest memory though of this Hulk-colored pop is drinking it at sixth-grade skate parties, clumsily maneuvering my way on the tiled floor between Boyz II Men ballads (couples skate, anyone?) and Sugar Ray hits.

In the past six years, Surge activists have popped up, demanding that stores restock the caffeine-loaded bubbly. SaveSurge.org is the front-runner in this endeavor, and, like most of the world, is not settling for Surge replacements like Vault and Mountain Dew.

Red Bull and Rockstar have developed as Surge’s more fashionable, trendy grandchildren, spawned from Mountain Dew and Mello Yello. But nothing will ever be able to match the slow, tooth-decaying jolt Surge provided.

Published on February 10, 2008 at 12:00 pm