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Coffee, thee, and me

 

Consider me your coffee break. Your brief escape from work, or those few minutes off while the spaghetti cooks. Time to read and reflect about something that matters. Race relations, art in our lives, unwelcome birthdays, the power of coffee . . .

Most of us don't stop very often to ponder the things that provoke or amuse us, inspire, or simply inform. It may happen when we take time to go for a walk, visit with a friend, or sit down with a mug of coffee. So, bring me along while you sip that java. I'll pick a topic (you can too) and toss it around as you reflect and respond, and then we'll go from there.

How about if we begin with coffee itself? Leave the work behind, let the phone ring, and wrap fingers around a warm cup, swallow smooth but not-too-sweet, and smell the gift of pleasure. For centuries, people have done the same.

The tale begins with Middle-Eastern monks observing the antics of sheep after eating coffee berries, and then joining in because the berries improved their evening prayers. Centuries later, liberals gathered in coffee houses to drink the stimulant that fortified their literary and political discussions. Over time, whether chewed or brewed, coffee has been viewed as medicine, aphrodisiac, and poison. Even now, a few religions forbid it, while others support it as a positive alternative to alcohol.

Coffee lovers claim it boosts their brain power, physical energy, and creativity. Some say it increases potency. Well, commercial aphrodisiacs have been known to contain caffeine. Still, there are heavy drinkers who suffer anxiety, insomnia, twitching muscles, and diarrhea. Caffeine is in fact a drug, an addictive one at that, and research studies advise pregnant women and people with heart trouble, high blood pressure, hypertension, and high cholesterol to abstain. For the rest of us, however, three cups a day is pretty safe.

Three cups? Four grandes is more like it in my case, but they're half decaf. Though not always. Back when I raced the career speedway, I dripped four shimmering scoops straight into my mug. That heated the brain for staff meetings and pumped me up for a conference crowd. Later, I cut back the career and decelerated to total decaf. First a downshift to one quarter power. Then an eighth. Then zero caffeine. Still tasty, if brewed strong with fine beans.

The first day off was easy. The second started with a headache and veered to the couch, brain disabled for a week. When the head cleared, I vowed to stay clean, but hated crawling in the breakdown lane, resting after lunch, sagging after supper.

Sometimes caffeine would show up in my coffee by mistake. Then I would fly, with sparkling brain cells, infinite energy. But later, the rapid fall back to zero zone. After two years off the stuff, my body was still hooked. Without caffeine, I was always limping on low octane. Finally I did the research and discovered this addiction's not much worse than my others--exercise, reading, salads--and it sure beats dragging through the day. So here I am, sipping safely and pondering the results.

My coffee break's about over now. Light brown Sumatra's low in my favorite ceramic mug. The last sip is tepid but tasty and makes me look forward to the next pause in the rhythm of work. Down time that nourishes the soul. Precious minutes that labor unions enforce by law, the Japanese enrich with a (tea) ceremony, and Oxford University observes as cherished ritual. My time to sit and think for a moment, talk with a friend, or simply enjoy the warmth and taste of a good brew. How about you?

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