Dear Coffee

A Story by Chek

This is a short story I wrote in my fiction writing class in college. I thought is was decent enough to post

The six by six room cluttered with clothes sits motionless with exception to the pile of clothes on a bed. They steadily move up and down to the beat of a breathing Jack. He awakens with a roaring yawn and throws off the covers causing his clothes to avalanche onto the floor.

“Dear Coffee,

You torment me every hour of everyday. You are the woman of my life and you are addicting.”

In the white countertop kitchen sits a coffeepot with a beige container labeled “sugar” and the common honey bear. Jack steps to the pot with frazzled hair and droopy eyes.

“You run my life with cream and sugar, make me relax with honey, and wake me up by being your plain self.” With soup mug in hand, Jack sets down on his checkered couch and props his plaid pant legs onto the coffee table covered with Starbucks coffee cups from tall to venti. He takes a sip of his coffee and takes a deep breath.

“You change containers on me to make yourself more appealing but that doesn’t do much. Your flavor changes with the company you’re around. Whether you’re with syrup or with spices, you’re still addicting.”

Jack wearing a tie-dye shirt and black hoodie walks through a statue garden holding a fountain complete with peeing sculptures. He walks past a Dunkin Donuts then a Caribou Coffee. He grasps his temple as he yawns and shakes his head. Jack pulls out his worn black leather wallet and looks into its bowels and stares at a 5-dollar bill with half open eyes. He stops in front of a Starbucks with 5 dollars in hand and gives a sigh of defeat.

Jack walks out with a full cup of coffee taking a sip making his eyes turn from half open to full open. He breaths a sigh of relief but glares at the cup in hand with disgust and takes another sip.

“My mood is the only thing that stops me but when I discover another way you’re made my mood changes. When I get up you’re all I think about. I like you with sugar or honey. I love when you appear at my bedside. You make my morning complete after I take a shower and make a meal perfect by appearing after it. You make a day run smooth and nights last a little longer but I realize because of all this you have me on a leash. When I grow tired from work or class I need you in my life. I want to travel to the closest shop and find you whether it’s at Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Caribou, or 7-11. When I find you I search for the options to mix you with from Irish cream to plain sugar. After when you’re ready and I take that first sip I’m hooked and will not let you go till I’m done with you. You’ve waged war on my wallet and are winning.”

Jack pulls out four credit cards and looks around himself to see a Starbucks, a Dunkin Donuts, a Caribou Coffee, and a 7-11 enveloping him. His credit cards float up into the air and fly to the four deathtraps of coffee. He shakes his head and looks down at a leather wallet with credit cards and zero cash. Jack takes a deep breath and unzips his black hoodie.

I want to fight back but without you I can’t go through the day. I need to find one alternative to you or…”

Jack steps into his walk in pantry with several shelves. Each segmented into drinks, herbs, pasta, and picks up one empty coffee container after another till he comes upon a teabag of peppermint tea. He holds the bridge of his nose and exits slouching. Jack flips a switch on his coffeepot and watches the water boil. Jack pours hot water into a small mug holding his teabag. He takes a sip and nods his head as he leaves the kitchen. Jack sets his mug down and hugs several empty coffee cups dropping them into the black container he calls a trashcan.

“Dear Tea,”