JAVA JOY

It is early on a Sunday morning of what promises to be another hot summer day. The windows are open and the soft sounds of birds going about their birdy business create a haze of contentment. Normally I would be reading the paper and getting a grip on the outside world, but the paper guy is late this morning so all I have is a cup of coffee and my thoughts to keep me company. It is rather like waking up after a good night’s sleep and not wanting to move for fear of discovering the various aches and pains attendant with getting out of bed. I am reluctant to make any sudden moves or do anything at all that might disturb my peaceful sense of gratitude. I haven’t had a cup of coffee in ten days, and the flavor explodes in my mouth like a bomb blasting away the somnolent state in which I have been living. As I loll in my father’s old chair savoring my first cup of coffee in what seems like a month of Sundays, I feel the caffeine fire up the comatose synapses in my brain.

I contemplate how lucky I am to live in a world where antibiotics exist. But then again what a curse it is to feel I need to read all the fine print before taking any medication. This particular antibiotic came with all sorts of instructions about what I should and should not do for the duration of the prescription. Most of it did not apply to me accept … to be safe from damage to my tendons I would need to abstain from caffeine and strenuous exercise. Also, to assure the medication performed correctly I would need to give up all dairy products for ten days.  As you can imagine, it was a real hardship to give up all the strenuous activities which might have had a detrimental effect on my arthritic muscular system. But I am here to tell you … giving up caffeine and dairy was the real downer.  It was depressing to be half asleep for ten days … especially when coupled with my perpetually dazed Covid-brain.

Now, watching the gentle steam rise from my mug of coffee with cream, I am amazed anew at the ambrosial taste of fresh java. I am thankful to be free of a nasty stubborn urinary infection. And as a bonus, it feels as if my Covid-brain might have taken a hit as well. But far and away beyond all that, I marvel at how anyone ever lived to a ripe old age, before the discovery of antibiotics. We do live in an extraordinary world. Let’s hear it for all those scientists that have given us relief from the achy-breaky world in which we live.

However, the paper guy has finally come, and I suppose it is time to go find out what is happening out there. But I just wanted to share my little moment of joy with those of you who like their coffee or tea, with or without cream, and their mornings filled with bird song.  Peace be with you all.