Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Black Coffee


On a morning when a busy day awaits, there's nothing better than really good coffee, served black. I always doctor up my restaurant coffee, because it usually isn't very good. It's sat for too long or it's too bitter. But I love a big mug of black coffee in my lap, a warm, furry creature begging for my attention, and the paper to read. It feels like heaven.

My love of black coffee started as a child. It was always a big treat to sit on Howard's chair (my step grandfather will forever be Grampa Howard in my heart) and get to sip from his brown mug of black coffee. The smell of coffee brewing will instantly take me back to the big, fuzzy red chair, a game of cribbage, the sound of his grandfather clock ticking away in the background. I conjure up images of playing puzzles in the rain and the fire crackling in the wood stove while stew was bubbling on top. He's tell me the story of our founding fathers playing chess in a similar locale, discussing the future of our country. He'd tell me tales of his customers, when he'd worked as a pharmacist, and promise to make me a lime coke later. The real kind, with syrup.

Are there memories that come flooding back for you with a scent? Today, I wish for you to stumble across a memory of blissful moments with someone special. If you'll excuse me, I'm off to brew a pot.

10 comments:

  1. I'll have coffee with you, Chica!

    The smell of espresso reminds me of my childhood with my great aunt and great grandfather. We'd sip café con leche while watching The Newlywed Game (not knowing what the hell they were saying but it was fun watching the couples fight and kiss!). :)

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  2. I like these posts in which you reflect on the past and how you bring the peaceful and good parts into your now. It's sweet, and I kind of like how we get to see a glimpse of you as a young girl.
    So many memories come back to me with different scents... it seems to be a powerful sense for me.
    I've never learned to enjoy my coffee black, by the way.

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  3. This reminds me of Scarlet's post awhile back...scents of lotion, perfume, cologne, etc., will remind me of the person that wore it even if I haven't seen or thought of them for years. But black coffee? You are a better, braver person than me...(she says drinking a half-caff iced soy mocha.)

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  4. I used to drink black coffee. But I'm a real sado when it comes to coffee. I'll only drink instant now.

    The smell of Old Spice aftershave reminds me of my Dad.

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  5. Sadly, the only scent I really associate with anything is a very negative one; flowers. They remind me of funerals, largely because I had 9 of them in a 6 month stretch in 95 which included Mom, Grandpa, my soon to be Father in Law and several other family members. I am probably the only person on earth who despises the smell of flowers...

    On the brighter side, playing games with Grandpa was a great deal of fun. Typically checkers. O course, to the best of my recollection, nobody ever won or lost a game because at some point he would "accidentally" tip the board which was always perched on his knees. We would then spend several minutes picking up the checkers which, by the way, fly remarkably well and scatter a great distance...

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  6. Lovely comments, everyone. Joe - instant coffee? I don't know that I've ever tried it. We Americans seem to have become coffee snobs...

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  7. Oh, I love my coffee black, too. I can totally relate to "a cup when a busy day awaits". My brain does not function without my first cup of coffee! I loved this post. What wonderful memories of your grandpa!

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  8. The scent of coffee holds special memories for me too. I remember as a child the smell of coffee peculating in the kitchen on the weekends and my Mom making pancakes for breakfast. You were not allowed to skip breakfast in my Mom's house, matter of fact you were not permitted to skip any meals. I do miss those times.

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  9. Coffee does not necessarily bring back memories, but it really settles me in. And i have learned to enjoy it black (ca not do that with diner coffee). The fur ball in a lap does bring back wonderful memories of 2 friends who stayed with me almost 18 years.

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