MORNING COFFEE
Mmmgh.
Morning.
Reach over. Hit snooze. Look up. Eyes. Behind eyes, son. On stomach. My stomach. Staring. Cooing.
"Good morning, son."
Coo, Gurgle.
Rub son's head. Think about going back to sleep.
Alarm again.
Apologize to Son. Son, smart creature, knows routine, smiles at groggy man.
Ugggggh! Up from bed. Stumble to hall. Into bathroom. Warm sons bottle. Empty bladder. Flush. Was lid up? Don't remember. Will check later.
Coffee.
Stagger from bathroom.
Son again. Kiss son. Open eyes. How'd I end up on the floor? Apologize to Son. Get up. Nnnnngh! Kitchen. Coffee.
Punch button on grinder. Preset four cups, cone grind. Sound. Loud. Harsh. Lovely. Stops. Reach into pantry, need filter. Grope in bag. Grope in bag. Grope in bag. Wrong bag. Find right bag, find filter, put in cone, put in coffeemaker.
Something wrong. Look around. Oh. Take filter back out of coffeemaker. Take ground coffee from grinder. Precious. My preciousssss. Kick self for bad Andy Sirkis impression. Out loud? Don't know. Will try to remember later. Carrrrreeeeeefully empty precious grounds into filter. Almost last of Gevalia beans. Need buy more coffee soon.
Cone in coffeemaker. Refrigerator. Need water. Reach, grab, turn, open top of coffeemaker.
Oops.
Not water. Milk. Stop. Turn. Refrigerator. Put back, get water. Turn. Look. Yes, water. Pour. Caaaaarrefully. Four cups. Squint at line. Room dark. Nose in top of coffeemaker, yes, four cups.
Turn on.
Gallugoh. Bullohph. Bawuwhnophugh. Coffeemaker-talk. Says "good morning." Stand. Stare at wall. Try to remember what next. Oh. Open cabinet, remove mug. Stand with mug.
Fnohuhuhumgph. Ngop. Bwobbbbbbh. Coffeemaker still talking. Watch coffee appear, slowly creeping up carafe. Beautiful iridescent bubbles. Tiny droplets skitter and meld into liquid darkness. Wait. Wait. Patience. Finally, ghukukukukukkkkkkkkkkk, coffeemaker ends soliloquy. Final droplets fall.
Deep breath. Gently, fingers close on handle. Pull back, balance sloshing weight. Tip, pour coffee swirling into mug. Slide carafe back home. Both hands surround mug. Lift. Inhale. See sunny afternoons, hot mountainsides. Hands reach out, testing, picking one by one ripe red coffee cherries in the hot hot sun. Tip, tiny sip of hot liquid across lips, along tongue. Flavors ripple along after the heat: bitter, sweet, taste of earth and exotic flowers. Sensation flows, rooms in body and sprit closed tight and musty open up to welcome a warm, tropical breeze.
Good morning.
(It's early. How are you?)