It’s six in the morning and the monster is demanding coffee. I’m tired, I’ve slept badly and the monster’s whining is spiking a monumental migraine in my front lobe.
I’m going to die if this goes on unabated. I’m going to die.
Basically, I understand the problem all too well. I give in, I encourage the monster and instead of satisfaction as a reward, my monster insists on more. My monster is seldom satisfied when it comes to coffee and as the only one who can offer him his fix, my life has become a nightmare.
I make the coffee, there’s no point in delaying. There’s only pain and frustration down that rabbithole. But, I strategize and plan as I stir the grounds in the French Press - Oh, did I fail to mention that only the best will do for my monster. He has to have freshly ground beans everyday and it’s a detailed process from which there’s no respite.
I consider tea, but then dismiss it out of hand.
I consider instant coffee, it would be easier, but he’ll know I’m cheating.
So, I continue with the ritual at hand...
The aroma of percolating Italian beans permeates and perfumes the air. Unfortunately, the monster is enlivened by this process. He jumps up and down with excitement and conjures the small white porcelain cup he prefers, with a flourish.
Naturally, it’s all downhill from this point - cup-banging satisfaction, foot stomping and rowdiness of unequal measure. Yes, he loves his coffee, and I’m the temptress to his sin.
His sin is unrequited love. He loves coffee and I’ve been the victim of his desire for more years than I’d care to admit to - surely I should have come up with a solution by now, but, no, I’m the maiden of servitude, the grim-giver of coffee.
I serve it next to a pile of books. So that there’s something to take my mind off the problem.
Do I partake? Now, there’s the thing of it. The exact and unadulterated fact of the thing. I give in, I’m the unpaid dealer in this crime of addiction, I always supply the drug.
The drug is dark, molten and deliciously aromatic.
…and, of course, the monster is lurking inside of me. It’s me!
I wrote this piece for Cinnamon Coffee Cup, but missed the deadline. Haha!
It seemed to fit with this prompt so I’ve adjusted and posted it as a Freewrite
Find the challenge here
