Everything happened for a reason, Benson did not understand, but later he did. His farm produced the best coffee in the region, as it was located in excessively fertile land. His production was so large that he sometimes had losses, but never like that time.
"Oh honey, what are we going to do with all this?" said Claire, Benson's wife pointing to tons of coffee in sacks.
Benson looked at the sacks and sighed. It pained him to throw away so much product, but it was already stale and its taste wasn't going to be the same. It occurred to him to give it away, maybe someone else would put it to better use, but who?
Towards the other side of the farm, outside the acres, was a beautiful rural home inhabited by only one man. Jeffrey Highs was a young science prodigy. At the age of fifteen, he invented a neural mechanism to make people taste strawberry in chocolate ice cream, fascinating don't you think?
He updated his invention to do it with other flavors, making it possible for many people to eat foods they could not because of their taste. His invention was revolutionary and changed the lives of many people.
One morning, Highs was still working on his new creation, but he was frustrated because he was missing a fundamental element he did not know. Unexpectedly, he received a visit from Benson.
"Neighbor, it's so good to see you!" Highs exclaimed squeezing Benson's hand in exultation.
"Yes... Well... Sorry to bother you, but I don't know who to ask, so I decided to try it." Benson squeezed his hands together, Highs was making him a little nervous because of his explosive personality.
"You see I have tons of stale coffee that no one will consume, I'm too embarrassed to throw it away so I'd rather give it away, do you want it? I know there was a time when you would get any kind of coffee, I don't know if you still do..."
Jeffrey pursed his lips and looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Sorry, buddy, but I don't do that anymore, it was when..." Jeffrey suddenly froze with his eyes bugged out and his mouth hanging open. Benson stared at him asking if he was okay.
"Of course!" he shouted. Benson jumped in fright.
"Goddamn it, man!" Benson claimed with his hand on his chest.
"Yes! That's the main fucking item I need! Neighbor, you can bring me all the stale coffee you have, I'll show you what I'll do with it."
And so it was, Benson dropped off all that coffee at Highs' warehouse, then went inside his house to talk to him.
"All set," Benson asserted.
"Good, now let me show you."
In front of Benson was a blackboard with formulas and numbers, and in the center, was a drawing of a coffee bean. Jeffrey was explaining in simple words what he intended to do with the tons of stale coffee.
"Do you intend to turn the coffee into a component for cement?" Benson asked in amazement.
"No, I intend to turn coffee into cement. Imagine the low costs and high demands."
"But coffee grounds can't reach that state of concrete solidity."
"Who says it can't?" Jeffrey inquired with an eccentric smile and flashing glasses. "Come see me in a fortnight," Benson walked out of there still thinking it was crazy.
Two weeks later he returned to Jeffrey's house, the young scientist eager to show him his creation.
"Look at it! Genius, don't you think?" Benson walked over in awe and touched the huge brown wall.
"Is it made of coffee? Awesome! It feels like a real concrete wall, and it smells like freshly roasted coffee."
"Artificial aromas," Highs explained "It was an afterthought, people might like it."
"What do you mean?" asked Benson doubtfully.
"I plan to sell my creation as a product that will reach every last corner of the country. We will have many suppliers, but you will be my main supplier and partner because thanks to you I concretized my idea. You will have more people working with you, I know you will do an excellent job since your lands are very fertile and produce in excess."
The idea sounded like a dream, but Benson was colliding with reality.
"But no one will want to buy coffee cement, how will it sell?"
"Leave it to me. I know someone and his marketing firm that helped make me a damn millionaire. You wait and see, partner." Highs finished his sentence with another eccentric smile.
Over the next few weeks, coffee cement has been heavily advertised. It has been advertised in newspapers, newscasts, and social media. To demonstrate the quality of the product, the marketing company suggested doing philanthropic work, low-cost construction companies were contracted for this task.
The idea was implemented and hundreds of houses were built with coffee cement for low-income people. People were able to verify its veracity and Highs' invention quickly gained popularity.
Its low cost and strength equal to that of ordinary concrete became so attractive even to the other side of the world. Benson and Claire became so rich that they never touched the earth again. As for their genius and eccentric partner, he had once again locked himself away to work out yet another new invention.
THE END
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