Coffee

I grew up with the notion that I'll be a coffee lover. I remember all the coffee ads on TV, especially Nescafe. They make coffee drinking look very classy, stylish even, it sets you apart from the rest. Well, that and the coffee brand. And of course, my parents’ morning ritual where coffee is part of breakfast. The aroma fills the kitchen and sometimes I may even get a whiff from my room. Every time I asked them if I could drink coffee, they said it is only for the grown ups. Small kids like me have to settle for Milo and Vico. That made me want to drink coffee even more coz that way it symbolizes I’m grown up and old enough to do grown up stuff.

You must understand, myself as a 5 year old child view growing up with excitement. It means I get to drive, go shopping (yes, I started young from following my mum around), wear make-up (from watching my mother getting dressed for work) and of course drinking coffee. I love the idea of being independent and the thought of inserting a card at a machine which gives out free money!

So I grew up with time. Alas, I am as good as allergic to coffee. I had no idea the effect coffee has on me until I entered uni. Somewhere around my foundation year, I bought coffee flavoured love letters by mistake. I was starving and ate about half a pack of it. What happened after that is a complete blur for me. But this was what my roomie had to say:

“Ohkulala, you were high!! Seriously, seriously high. You were laughing so much and even started doing this happy dance, encouraging me, Ah Hua and Ah Sha to follow suit. You also displayed the hyper activeness of an ADD child.” – Ah Nee

Apparently, the episode was quite… bad. Hilarious to me but not for the rest. Similar episodes have occurred over the years every time the word coffee is heard. And so I was banned from coffee.

Fast-forward 4 years; I can drink coffee without getting high under certain circumstances:
a) if I face severe lack of sleep, but the amount of coffee is only half a sachet mixed with Milo, so its technically Neslo.
b) consumed before 2pm or else ill not be able to sleep the whole night.
c) Starbucks

Haha… ok, Starbucks is my only vice when it comes to coffee. Not that I drink at Starbucks very often, but I do love the Java Chip Frappuccino and during Christmas season, I dig the Soy Milk Toffee Nut Latte. Throughout internship, I had just enough money to make it through each month without the luxury to indulge in anything beyond the absolutely-necessary. In those 8 months, all I could do was look, and walk past Starbucks hoping the scent of oh-so-lovely coffee would satisfy my appetite for Starbucks. I’m glad to take back my role as a student coz now I can afford to satisfy my occasional cravings :).

And for every day else, I have my faithful Milo.

PS: I make very good Milo too!