(That's "coffee" for you first-time visitors to the Garage.)
It's a tie to my roots.
Coffee was there while working with Dad as a youngster in the drywall business.
And Mom and her 'coffee clatches' with her lady-friends.
(I wasn't invited. Always exiled to my room, but it sounded like they were having a preeeeetty good time.)
There were those late nights in college and the bachelor days, hanging with buds and we all thought we were studs and oooooohhhhh to see us now.
I also grew up in the Evangelical Free Church. A denomination started by Swedes and Norwegians. Yeah.
The very antithesis of "Coffee Drinkers Anonymous".
I remember seeing this huge, brass-and-copper thing at a restaurant back in the college days.
"What's that?"
The cute waitress smiled politely at my stupidity.
"It's an expresso-maker."
"Ooohhh. What's that?"
The smile barely stayed in place.
"It's European coffee. Would you like a cup?"
"Ummm. Sure."
Five minutes later, she comes back with this little-tiny cup'n'saucer and a $1.50 tab.
I looked at the little-tiny cup.
This is a buck-fifty?
That's about 5 gallons of gas and a three hour cruise around the Loop.
The little-tiny cup was about 13/16ths full (not even FULL, mind you) of a oily black, glistening fluid.
Two thoughts went through my mind.
I've been royally ripped-off.
And I need to change the oil in the Camaro.
Maaaannn.
In disgust, I grabbed the little-tiny cup and tossed back the contents in one gulp.
That's when the world exploded.
Aaaaaaaaahh.
Cough.
Oooooooohh.
All the cells from my mouth to my stomach screamed at once, wondering what I had done now.
Ten minutes later all the other cells joined in.
I swear I heard Elvis beltin' it out ...
"We gotta whole lotta shakin' goin' on!"
I was now fully educated to the fact that there is a huge difference between
"drinkin' coffee"
and
"DRINKING COFFEEEEE!!!"
Yeah.
Experience is the best teacher -
but if you can learn it second-hand, the tuition costs less.
Adam and Eve used an apple to get knowledge they should've left alone.
I used a little-tiny cup.
No wonder the Europeans talk with their hands.
And drive fast.
That was over forty years ago and I still get a reflexive body shudder and head snap.
Now why did I write about that?
Huh.
I dunno.
It could be the idea that HE lets us grow gradually into the full knowledge of HIM, not blasting it all into us at once.
Or it could be a caffeine flashback.
I dunno.