Coffee Break

Sometimes (more often than I care to admit), I will wander across the street from work to the Coffee Bean for a cup of that delightful black brew. I know I'm going far too often because the employees recognize me and know me by name. They even know what I typically order - a small (or regular, depending on how tired I am) Americano, with room for cream.

An Americano is comprised of espresso and hot water. If that's not enough for you, get a Red Eye. It's espresso and drip coffee. I like the term sailors and Marines have come up for it: A "depth charge".

Anyway, I'm at the bar thing that has the sugar packets and carafes of half-and-half, 2%, non-dairy and whatever else they have out for creamer. It's nice that they have those little sticks for stirrers. So much better than the short plastic straws, which never reach the bottom of your cup to stir up the sugar crystals.

He walks in. I haven't seen this dude in ages. Back in the day, we would head out for Starbucks runs around 10:00 AM and commiserate over failing relationships and work politics. Since the last time I ran into him, he's moved at least once and had a baby with his girlfriend (wife now? I didn't check his hand for a ring). This was the guy who used to tell me, "Don't chase 'em; replace 'em!"

"Hey!" He says. "I haven't seen you in forever! What's new?"

I wait for him to order, and as he's pouring cream and sugar into his cup he says out of the blue,

"Diane, you're going to make a great mom."

Huh? Where the hell did THAT come from?

"You know why? You're patient, and really kind."

I know he's being sincere, but it wasn't quite the pick-me-up I wanted that afternoon.