Coffee and Me
Coffee and Me is a book-in-progress about the role coffee has played in my routines, relationships, memories, and everyday life. Each Sunday, I will share a new excerpt here on the blog as I work toward publishing the completed book on my birthday, January 5, 2027. Consider this a weekly invitation to sit down with me, grab a mug, and see where the coffee takes us.
Before bed on Saturday, I asked my wife if she would like to go out for coffee on Sunday morning.
Our superpower is being early risers. We always get great parking, and there is typically no line on a Sunday morning.
But then real life intruded.
The laundry needed to be done, and if I waited, it would have to be finished after church. I really did not want to do laundry after church. So, we adulted. We scrapped the plan to go out for coffee, put the laundry in, and I brewed a brand called White Coffee Breakfast Blend.
The bag describes it as “luxurious old-world coffee” and “premium reserve.” It also says the company was established in 1939. The back of the bag explains that it is a family-owned, certified woman-owned business that has been selling coffee to thousands of New York residents for generations.
I found White Coffee at Dollar Tree.
Now I was intrigued.
Why was this coffee being sold at Dollar Tree for five dollars?
I decided to visit the company’s website. This is what I found:
White Coffee, founded in 1939 by David White, has been a family-owned and operated business for three generations, celebrating 85 years of excellence in the industry. We take pride in offering high-quality products and exceptional customer service, making us a trusted partner in the coffee industry. Our expertise lies in creating custom-branded and packaged coffee for customers and companies worldwide, with licensing partnerships with global brands, white-label options, and food service. We also specialize in custom packaging and branding options, ensuring our customers receive personalized coffee products to match their unique needs and tastes.
Very interesting.
My mind immediately began concocting all sorts of stories.
Should I continue the research and see where it goes? Should I trace the supply lines of coffee and discover how a bag of premium roast ended up at Dollar Tree? Could I expose a vast conspiracy that would make me the Erin Brockovich of the coffee world and lead to a movie deal, brand partnerships, and a loyal army of coffee supporters?
No.
That is not my goal.
My goal is to discuss the mug I am using today.
When I brew coffee at home, I have to use a mug. Today’s mug is Harry Potter-themed. It says “The Dark Mark,” and on the front is a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. It is connected to the Death Eaters and, visually, carries that unmistakable Slytherin energy.
It is a big mug. It could probably hold an entire pot of coffee.
The mug is white with a black outline. The bag of White Coffee is also white with black lettering.
Hmmm.
Maybe there is a suspicious coffee muse—or some other entity—calling to me.
When a small, ordinary moment starts pulling your imagination somewhere bigger, do you follow it—or gently steer yourself back to what you actually set out to do?