Words of Wisdom

The old lady I couldn't get away from, peered at my can of coke and said

"It'll rot your teeth, that stuff!"

I pointed out that it was Zero Coke and had no sugar in it, but she was undeterred.

"Have you seen how it gets rust off things? Any idea what it does to your insides?"

Ah, well, that'll be the acid in it, just like in vinegar. Nobody suggests that pickles rot you insides. In coke, the carbon dioxide bubbles dissolve slightly, making a weak carbonic acid. Indeed, stomach acid is way stronger than any acid you are likely to voluntarily ingest.

So, in a spirit of politeness, I asked the old lady what she preferred, if coke was such a demon drink.

"Tango, Vimto or Strongbow," she replied, without a hint of irony.