Coffee or Love

“It’s either love or too much caffeine.”

“Really? You just met her.”

“No that’s why I said either. I’ve been drinking too much coffee today.”

He punctuates the sentence with a sip of coffee as if to prove his point.

“You really got to lay off the coffee.”

The two young men are drinking coffee at an all night diner. The only light outside is lurid and artificial.

“I’ve been so hopped up on the stuff today that I can barely sit down. I can’t sleep; I can barely keep a thought in my mind for more than five seconds. And the way my heart’s going it’s fit to burst.”

“Which is either the caffeine or the girl.”

“Or both.”

“Or both.”

The waitress puts a temporary hold on their conversation.

“You boys decided yet?”

“You decided what you want?” the overly caffeinated fellow asks his friend.

“Yeah. I’ll have the apple pie.”

“Anything else for you?”

“A refill would be nice when you have the chance.”

“Sure Hon.” She turns to the other fellow, “And for you?”

“The breakfast special with scrambled eggs, bacon and brown toast.”

“Sure. Anything else?”

“A refill for me too.” He puts his mug to the side of the table with shaking hands. “Oh and do you have any H.P. Sauce and hot sauce?”

“Sure do. I’ll bring it right out.”

“Thanks.”

They hand over their menus.

“Little late for breakfast.”

“Or early. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to sleep tonight.”

“Lay off the coffee man.”

“I’m not sure it would help.”

“Really? She’s got you that tied up in knots. Just like that?”

“Maybe it’s the combination. Like getting teamed up on in a fight.”

“So lay off the coffee, give it a couple hours and at least have a nap before you go to work.”

“Nah. It’s too far gone far that already.”

His eyes dart around the room. The sight of the waitress coming towards them stalls the conversation yet again.

“Not very many people drinking coffee at this time of the night. Had to put on a new pot.”

“Actually, on second thought I’ll pass on the second cup of coffee,” he says staring hard at his jittery friend.

“You too hon?”

“No no, hit me with another. I’m not going to sleep anytime soon.”

She leaves.

“Honestly? You couldn’t just stop drinking the coffee. All that caffeine can’t be good for you.”

“Meh. I’ll be fine.”

They share a moment of silence, one looking slowly around the room, eyes landing on the couple across from them, and the group of highschool students with their twittering laughter near the back, the other with both legs shacking up and down, darting eyes and the constant movement of mug to mouth.

“So you were saying you are too far gone.”

“Yeah, I mean, it’s hard enough to sleep on a good night. But a night like this…”

“I guess the heat doesn’t help anything.”

“Nope.”

“Either way I guess the date went well then.”

“It was just coffee.”

“Whatever it was. It went well?”

“Yeah. I mean we sat there for hours drinking coffee and talking. So that’s pretty good. I always feel so nervous when things start to go well. Like they can see me starting pursue them in my awkward way. I think it would be off-putting. You saw me around her. Did I act all head-over-heels?”

“Well you were twitchy and a little more nervous than usual. But that could have been the caffeine. I guess it’s just a chemical reaction in your brain either way isn’t it?’

They waitress arrives with their food.

“The apple pie, and the breakfast. Anything else? A refill on your coffee?”

“Yeah I’d like a refill.”

“My you do like your coffee don’t you?”

“I do.”

“What about you? A little bit of coffee with your pie?”

“No. I have to sleep tonight.”

“You sure? It’s hard to eat pie without coffee. A touch wouldn’t hurt would it?”

“Give me half a cup. I guess I’ll be fine.”

“You can’t beat the black brew man. Thanks”

“You need anything else just let me know.”

She walks away leaving them to try to drudge up the conversation.

“I don’t buy the chemical reaction stuff.”

“What? It’s science. It doesn’t matter if you buy it or not.”

“No I don’t mean I think that it’s all false, I just think there’s more too life than just chemical reactions in your brain. I mean if it’s just the coffee than all it means is a bad night’s sleep, if not it could mean a completely new direction in life, new friends, new pains and joys.”

“Yeah I guess.”

“I just hate it when people try to be so jaded and act as if it’s all just electricity throwing switches in your brain.”

“Yeah I know. But it’s not all sweeping romances either.”

“Yeah. There are precious few of those.”

On that downer they both focus on their own thoughts, and food. Soon both sit in font of empty plates and mugs.

“I think it’s about time for me to go to bed. Probably a couple hours past that actually. You want a ride back?”

“Nah. I’ll walk. Maybe I’ll catch the sunrise from the park.”

“Sounds nice. See ya.”

He puts down a five dollar bill and leaves.