coffee... the liquid of life.

Yesterday, a friend of mine wrote me that she had decided to quit coffee cold turkey for Lent, and that she was experiencing major headaches and fatigues. Now, I had decided to quit caffeine for Lent, but had also decided not to quit cold turkey, and instead I would diminish my intake a little each day, adhering more to the principle of the thing than the letter of the law.

I had also been feeling sick this week, so when I was crabby and tired yesterday, I didn't think too much of it. Today I experienced the same thing, except with the addition of a splitting headache. I assumed that it had to do with my imminent illness, and took a nap.

My mother, observing my headaches and experiencing her own, contemplated sources for the pain. Maybe it was something we ate--too many frozen strawberries? the gas stove in the basement? cat hair?

So this afternoon she asks my father, "Which coffee have you been using?"

He opens the cupboard and pulls out a small brown bag of hazelnut flavored coffee. A small green "D" appears on the label for all to see.

"Dan," she says, "you've been making Decaf."

"Well then," he shouts, pulling the large red Folgers container out of the cupboard, "Let's have coffee!"

I suppose I quit caffeine cold turkey for Lent after all. Who would have thought?