A - Addiction

Today morning when I woke up, I held my cup of coffee and got set for my most favorite activity of the day. And then I panicked. Since yesterday was a public holiday in Bangalore, there was no issue of newspaper for today. Damn it. This is a daily ritual of mine, without which I feel incomplete to the core. And coffee is my dangerous addiction. I cannot start my day unless I feel caffeine seep through my veins. Yeah, highly addicted. And not just any coffee, I have to always make it myself. My way. I like it super bitter, with just a pinch of sugar. The tiniest pinch possible. I add the sugar in my cup first, then the instant coffee powder, then boiling hot milk. No, even hot will not do. It needs to be boiling hot and straight off the stove. Then I walk up to my favorite spot and start reading the news paper. No matter how late I am for work or how much cooking is pending, I never get up without finishing the paper. 

We subscribe to two news papers. Bangalore Mirror and The Times Of India. I always start with the Bangalore Mirror first. If my husband or anyone else is reading it, I snatch it from them. Next I get on to TOI and finally finish it off with Bangalore Times. This order never changes. If it does, I have a lousy day. A sip for a page and I read the paper end to end. From local news to sports, from economics to gossip, from international news to cartoons. The first hour after I wake up is sacred to me. No matter how late. I do not like talking to anyone for the first hour. I'd rather spend some time alone with myself, the coffee and the news. Talk to me then and get ready to be snapped at. 

My evening cup of coffee is a different story altogether. At around three pm I have a cup of green tea, but after four, my body craves for coffee again. Since its my office, I do not have the luxury of preparing it myself. I can get the coffee powder, but what about the boiling milk? So, I'm forced to have it at the cafeteria. Outside home, I only drink sugarless coffee. No, I'm not conscious about my weight or anything. Just that I have an allergy to sweets. I do not like sweets at all. Not even sugar. Not chocolates even. So I have super hot sugar less filter coffee in office. As soon as the coffee boys see me arriving, they get set on my coffee. Some even ask me if I have diabetes. I politely smile and say no. This is a routine too.

I hate the coffee from Cafe Coffee Day, Costa, Barista or any other coffee shop for that matter. I find it extremely burnt and I feel like puking with the first sip. The hot ones I mean. The frozen or ice blended ones work fine for me. Again, with minimal sugar. I like to feel the bitterness of the coffee on my tongue. Else, it clearly is not worth it. I don't understand why these cafes are so overrated when it comes to a hot cup. It sucks, to be honest. And the heart shaped cream on top of it, doesn't help either!

Hot coffee and news paper is my ultimate combo to start of the day with, while cold coffee is the perfect partner for a conversation. Coffee flavored ice cream is my ultimate indulgence and the smell of freshly brewed coffee gives me an orgasm!

The reason I am writing this is, what all we bring upon ourselves. Its not like I'm going to kick the bucket if I do not have that cup of coffee. Its just that my mind and my body conspire against my will and crave for it. I have tried giving it up many a times, but after about two hours my head starts splitting. I think it is purely psychological, but a cup later I feel totally fine. Probably, subconsciously I have wired my body to get used to this addiction and throw out symptoms when it does not get it. I have many other addictions too, but coffee remains on the top. In capitals. And in bold. They say coffee causes heat in the body. Well, I don't care. I'm a machine that needs to be oiled well with caffeine. Else, I stop functioning. Completely.

So, what are you addicted to?

~ Soumya