My game of dodge ball with caffeine continues. Several weeks after the initial incident, I went back to Starbucks, still nervous even though I had had a couple cups of decaf there since the main incident. But when I took my first couple sips on the street outside, I tasted the drugs. Shocked that this had happened again, I walked back in and explained the situation. My favorite barista responded with an appropriate level of shock and horror and made me a fresh cup.
A couple of days ago, my friend at work made a run to Dunkin' Donuts and picked me up an iced decaf. I was impressed by the size, the reasonable price, and the overall quality. So the next morning, when I wanted to get a cup of hot coffee on my way into work, I decided to give D&D a try. Once again, I was impressed and felt pretty happy about my new discovery. But at about 12 noon I realized that I was incredibly perky given my overall lack of sleep in the previous days. And when I went out for lunch, I bounced along the street despite the extreme heat. I felt VERY excited about my errands to the bank, the photo shop, and the sausage joint where I was going to get lunch. In the corner of my mind I knew what was going on, but I didn't want to accept the truth.
And then, about 3:30pm, I started to come down. The way that I detox from an accidental caffeine high makes me think I would not make a very good heroin addict. The low comes hard and fast and is merciless in its treatment. The bank and the photo shop were a distant memory. A hole started to grow in my stomach (although D&D is milder than Starbucks, so it wasn't as dramatic). And then the paranoia started to set in: I can't trust ANYBODY to pour me a cup of coffee! I'm going to have to start growing the beans myself!
My thoughts then turned back to an article my sister had sent me after incident #1 about the scientists at Washington University in St. Louis who are developing a dip-stick that will test hot beverages for the presence of caffeine. Apparently, llamas have an antibody against caffeine that is at the heart of the dip-stick strategy. So, between the coffee bean garden I'm planning for my windowill and the llama dipstick, I have dreams of a day I can drink my favorite drink without fear.
Wow, that invention sounds amazing- albeit a coffee growing farm in Brooklyn run by Maggie sounds kinda cool too! I totally understand your caffiene blues- BTW- there is a book called "Caffiene Blues" that really makes you not want to ever ingest the stuff again! You should really just bring some beans and a coffee maker to work- why worry your sweet heart over the irresponsibilities of a disgruntled baristas. I will say however that giving caffiene to a decaf requestor is the golden no/no! As an ex barista I would have rather made a bad tasting beverage with floating coffee grinds ands curdling soy milk than risk someone's heart attack, or hives, or ephilectic shock- or Maggie crashing and burning! So maybe one day we can ingest the Llama substance!!!!!!! Either way your story made me really chuckle! Oh and thankyou for teaching me the word Agitprop
Posted by: Beebs | June 27, 2006 at 10:49 AM
Hey Maggie--I still say you should wean yourself back onto the caffeinated stuff. Not sure that growing your own beans would solve the problem, since the decaffeination process seems complicated.
Posted by: Cory | July 16, 2006 at 02:42 PM
Hi long-lost cousin Maggie, it's your first cousin once-removed Jeanne Marie; I got here through your dad's blog(s). I won't bore your readers with a Christmas newsletter-type update so email when you get a chance. Bowman power, jeanne
Posted by: Jeanne | July 25, 2006 at 08:12 PM