My Love of Coffee by Lyle Dagnen Who wouldn't desire a lover that never disappoints, is ready to go in a matter of minutes and always leaves a smile on your face? That lover was introduced to me late one night in 1970, that was my first time. My lover was hot, steamy, gentle and very pleasing. In all the years my love has never faded and has in fact grown stronger. My lover is coffee. Mornings are not my best time, most people give me lots of space and do not try to talk to me. My love is there. in my face, at my lips, bringing me joy. I close my eyes and breathe in the scent, my hands warm from the firm grasp, the strength fills me with passion. Thanks to my constant, true lover, I am transformed from a slavering, knuckle-dragging zog to a functioning human being. My coffee caresses my mind and brings me to a joyful meeting of the morning. While I have been told that many of my other loves have to be put aside, coffee Is the the love that stays with me. For many years my lover had a companion, I enjoyed a cigarette with the morning brew. Alas, my days of a twosome were halted and I stayed with the single love of a cup of coffee. This love of mine can make demands. The constant companion can become a need that has to be met or you can experience a slight headache and a bit of a letdown. Too much too fast and the buzz becomes a set of jerks and frenetic actions. This lover is a stimulant and must be respected. Coffee reminds me with a gentle nudge that I need it; I willingly answer the need. Hot, warm, cold, creamed, straight, it's there to quench my thirst and complete a need for a buzz of energy. Coffee has seen me through stressful times, happy times, boring times, active times. At work it was a
quick drink to wet the throat; during late night graduate classes it kept my eyes open and my brain concentrating. Hot it warms me, cool it refreshes me, what more could a woman ask of a lover she has had a constant affair with for so very long? Coffee is a traveling companion. It can be obtained in most places from the most expensive gourmet shop to a truck stop open all night on the interstate. I have found comfort in my friend in late night stops along the interstate, always hot, always a choice of brews, and most of all, forever comforting on a long, late night journey to somewhere. Coffee is there when friends come over and we talk until the sun disappears and comes back again. Coffee is there when my heart is breaking, alone, and trying very hard not to cry. Coffee is there when I'm laughing so hard that I lose it and fall out of the chair. Coffee is by my side when I write, I have an empty cup beside me now; I enjoy the fragrance of the earlier cups from today. The reason that I only enjoy the fragrance late in the day is that this stimulating brew can make sleep go somewhere else or be disrupted. Although decaf versions are available, I simply choose not to drink coffee late in the day. One last warning about this lover of mine, too much of it, especially too strong, can create a stomach upset that really destroys all the positive benefits of the brew. As with all stimulants, even mild ones, don't abuse yourself by overdoing it. Keep the experience a joy and a passion, not a kick in the gut. For the most part, it relaxes me. Coffee is my companion when I meditate and allow my mind to go where I want to be. I'm making no recommendation of brands, types of brew, strength, shops. Introduce yourself to coffee, meet coffee face to face and fall in love. -98-
