For the Love of Coffee

I've always loved coffee from the time when I was a young girl and would rarely be allowed a few sips or taste it in the form of coffee ice cream. I not only love coffee, but I love foods with coffee flavor or mocha flavor. The cocoa bean and the coffee bean were meant to be friends, although not according to my brother Dan. He likes both, just not mixed. Although I agree with him on most points, I don't on this one.

I'm almost the only woman in my family who does like coffee. My three sisters-in-law don't drink coffee, although a couple of them admit they enjoy the aroma of coffee. I find this interesting that they can enjoy the aroma but not the taste. Even my mother had to be converted by my father, when they were first married, from a tea drinker to a coffee drinker. (Actually, she and I drink both.)

Initially, I enjoyed my coffee with cream and no sugar, as my parents drink it. It was a hairdresser, back in college days, that introduced me to sweetened coffee, bringing me some she'd fixed to her own liking while I sat under the hairdryer. Some of you might think it would be better for me if I had maintained my former tastes. I drink mine sweetened, although not necessarily with sugar.

I make an almost daily trek to the Dunkin Donuts while working at the office. The girls there call me "my friend" and usually know how I like it. Sometimes, my coffee has been fixed before I reach the counter.

 My fictional guys of "Action Men with Silly Putty" are coffee drinkers too and spend a lot of time at their hangout, the art-themed Salvador Deli, for coffee and paninis ... partly because they are bachelors who can't cook. My narrator, Andy Westin, has an interesting, playful relationship with the waitress/barista girl, Janie Duveau.

Here's a good coffee scene from the book ...

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"Well, seriously, why don't you try the Edvard Munch special. It's new," said Janie.

"I don't know. Is it something I can moonch on?"

Janie smirked. "Very punny."

"Will it make me ... er ... scream?" I asked, eyeing the famous Scream print on the wall across the room.

"Yup."

"For joy or for some other reason?"

"That all depends. You'll scream a little, sweat a little, blow your nose and then you'll just pass out ... from all the jalapenos."

"Janie, you know I don't like hot stuff."

"Of course, I know." There was that smirk again. "I'll put you down for the Rothko burger and the Van Gogh Potato Eaters fries." Janie jotted it on her order pad.

I turned to Jack. "She just wants to torture me."

"Yup," said Jack. "I'll have the same as Andy."

Janie turned to me again. "Well, at least, try a different beverage. Try a cappuccino."

"But, you ... aggravating woman, I don't want a cappuccino. I want my coffee the way I always drink it ... black. Nothing fancy."

"Trust me. You want a cappuccino."

"Don't argue with me, you ... b ... " I almost said big, although I wasn't quite sure where that was going, but thought "big" might be below the belt. No woman likes to be called big. "You little ... rascal." Rascal was the first word that suggested itself after I committed to "little."

Janie sighed and walked away, something not true to her usual pattern. Seconds later, she reappeared at the table, setting a ready-made cappuccino in front of me. I looked down into my cup. "That's cool," I said. "It's smiling at me." The cinnamon was arranged in the foam, apparently stenciled, in such a way that it formed a smiley face.

"I told you I've been going to barista training," said Janie.

I poked my chin in Jack's direction. "Does he want cappuccino too?"

"He does." Janie left us again and, moments later, set a cappuccino in front of Jack. His had a Pac Man made in foam. This place was so full of art that even the cappuccino must be works of art.

"Thank you, Janie," said Jack. "It's so cool looking that I'm afraid to drink it," and then, looking into her face, "But I will. I definitely will."

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My brother Tim, a lifelong mystery fan, was tremendously supportive to me throughout my creative process in writing "Action Men with Silly Putty." The men in my family enjoy a very plot-driven story, so I was a little surprised to learn he has taken such an interest in the relationship aspects of my story. Janie and Ellen, the manager of Salvador Deli, must come into future "Action Men" stories, he tells me. I plan on it.

In related thoughts, I was among much of America that was snowed in this weekend. The snowy weekend inspired an "Ode to Coffee" vlog, featuring an 18th century poem I found online. In this cold weather, coffee is a great comfort.