Thursday, June 02, 2011

a pinch of melancholy

the afternoon was quiet. i just completed running an errand for the wife. submitted some documents for her office. it was my day off. i decided to drop by my favorite coffee nook and while the time away. another hard earned forty-five pesos eased out of my wallet. i'd admit it's worth it though because right there in that coffee stall i am able to unwind, to de-stress. i am able to gather the pieces of my jigsaw puzzle self that unwisely got scattered during these five days of stressful work of this week just passed.

my nose quivered at the bitter aroma of the freshly brewed coffee in front of me.  the wisps of smoke rising from the surface of the black liquid faintly betray its hotness. i dared not touch it to my lips yet. i can wait. i dropped half a teaspoon of brown sugar and about three spoonfuls of fresh milk and stirred the mixture.  wisps of smoke escaped upwards again.  i recalled the first line of one of henry david thoreau's poems -- "light winged smoke, Icarian bird". i could not remember the rest. it is of course a reference to Icarus of Greek mythology.

the hot liquid in front of me turned khaki now. this is how i like it this time. i held the waxened paper cup lightly with my right hand and turned it around slowly. there was this fine print in the cup. i think this was the first time i've noticed it. it read -- "love at first sip." i smiled in amusement and nodded in agreement.

it's time.

i lifted the cup slowly and held it about an eighth of an inch near my lower lip. a few seconds later, i felt the coffee's cozy heat hovering gently over my cheeks and my nose. i know i can tolerate the hotness now.  i took my first sip. immediately,  relaxing warmth filled the insides of my mouth and my tongue welcomed the bittersweet taste. i took a bigger gulp and swallowed. warmth slid down my throat, caressed my chest, and settled in my abdominal area.

i am gathering pieces of my jigsaw puzzle self. i am becoming whole again.

i silently recited a verse i love from the writings of that great spanish mystic, st. john-of-the-cross:

" the conditions of a solitary bird are five:

first, it flies to the highest point,
second, it does not suffer for company not even of its own kind,
third, it aims its beak to the skies,
fourth, it has no definite color,
fifth, it sings very softly. "


i am whole again.

4 comments:

christopherdossantos3@gmail.com said...

Namaste my brother, if I had the money to buy you a coffee shop I would.

In Lak' ech, love and peace brother Sito...

Bani said...

i enjoyed reading this one... we should open a coffee shop together someday! *wink* :P

sito saguid said...

brother christopher, love and peace. you had me thinking though, if i own the coffee shop, would i still be able to find the comfort that i am getting now every time i visit that coffee nook?

thanks for visiting.

sito saguid said...

dear bani,

as i've said in my reply to brother christopher, if i own the shop i might not get the same solace i am getting now every time i go to that coffee corner.

yet, you got me thinking also. putting up a such a shop may not mean it is for one's self. it should be for others. those who are in the same predicament as me, seeking respite from the rigors of every day living..

it would be fun to see a coffee shop where one can go to de-stress. a shop that does not offer coffee only, but some free paper and colored pens and pencils, where one can doodle away, or read some poetry book in a quiet corner .. thanks for the visit.