It is estimated that over half the population in this country drink coffee daily. With such an obvious case of the odds being stacked against me, was it any wonder I eventually gave in to this roasted bean delight? We I was very young, thinking around 2 years old, I remember sitting on grampa Fred's lap as he drank a cup of black coffee. As all young people I was intensely curious about something new. Perhaps I'd encounterd coffee before, but not this closely. It was right THERE! He knew by the expression on my face I had a curiousity that could sated only one way....trying it! I am fairly certain he asked me something along the lines of, "hey buddy, want to try some of your grampa's coffee? It's really good"
[ I say fairly certain, because, after all, can we really trust the perceptions and memories of our 2 year olds selves? While our infant/childhood selves are mostly pure & naive, they are untrustworthy to our adult versions, so we fill in the cracks as best we can, without bothering to check if it's ok with our younger us ]
I don't recollect how the coffee tasted, just that I found it repulsive! What was grampa up to? Could he, a trusted guardian my entire life, such as it was, possibly betray me...with poison!?!? No. Probably not. He found my response rather funny. That intense negative reaction stuck with me for years and years, right up to my early adulthood. I hadn't really touched coffee at all, preferring my pop (specicially Mt. Dew) for caffeine/sugar fix. Eventually I gave up the pop and tried tea. I LOVE tea by the way, so don't assume I'm tea-basher. But as I was out in the world, working, building a life, going to school etc, I needed something to keep going, since willpower and happy thoughts are not enough. Ever since that time of trying one iced coffee frappe thingy I was hooked. I moved more away from such blended coffee drinks to liking just coffee, if done right (with cream/milk/half & half & sugar). I have approximately 1 cup a day or 2 if I'm struggling. I've also discovered all sorts of other coffee; espresso, mochas (my favorite), lattes, and so on. I always seem to be wanting to cut back but never really doing it. I suppose it could be worse. However, I am trying to get used to black coffee, as it is better to not put all that "crap" in it. I both love & hate coffee, perhaps in equal measure. I love coffee for waking me up, my eyes widening, my brain kicking in. But I hate coffee's hold on me. It is well aware of the arrangement we have: I will drink it occasionally without going over board. Both sides are satisfied with this agreement. There is one thing I will always love coffee for; the wonderful bonding moment with my grampa. However, it is the only moment I can recall, for I was too young and died not too long after.
So, thank you grampa Fred for starting off this whole love/hate relationship with the coffee bean.....I think? :)