The kingdom of the Crystal skol

Do you remember home-delivered soft drink? I feel like it's been gone for decades - killed by the rise to utter dominance of the supermarket chains and monopoly of the beverage corporations - but maybe I'm wrong about that. Maybe there are places in Australia where such services survive.

'Cos who wouldn't want a crate of a dozen sodas in a rainbow of flavours brought to their door each week? Cherry cheer, cola, ginger beer, lemonade, lime, orange, pineapple, portello, sarsaparilla... As a child, it seemed the ultimate luxury. We never got it as my parents strictly rationed sugary treats - despite Dad admitting his family received deliveries when he was a kid.

There were always tales about people stealing the soft-drink money (which I believe you left out for the deliveryman along with your order form and your empties). And whenever one of these trucks pulled up in the street during a neighbourhood cricket game, we'd fantasise about swiping a bevvy. Only DB was ever bold enough to do so, guzzling it warm once the coast was clear.

The name I associate with home-delivered soft drink is Crystal. However, a quick Google reveals there were a bunch of Aussie firms that specialised in conveying fizzy nectar to the nation's households. The wooden crates and clear-glass bottles are now collector's items for nostalgic oldsters like me.