Chicken Coffee – Popayan, Colombia

I raised the Styrofoam cup to my lips, and then hastily set it down- contents untasted.
“What?” asked Tom, “Is there something wrong with your coffee?”
I handed over my cup and watched intently as he sipped.
“It’s fine” he pronounced, and tried to give it back.
I wasn’t taking it.

“It doesn’t smell like fried chicken to you?”

He eyed me incredulously, and then took a big whiff – obviously just humoring me.
He handed it back to me with a wry grin.

“Actually it does, but it tastes fine”.

I take the proffered cup warily. “yeah?”

“Well it tastes like instant coffee with too much milk, but not like it smells”.

Tom loves me. He wouldn’t lie to me to trick me into drinking fried chicken tasting coffee. I tell myself this for several seconds before I lift the cup to my mouth once again, my gaze unwavering on Tom’s with love and trust in my eyes. I take a gulp, trying not to breathe through my nose as I do, as a testament to that love and trust.

It truthfully tastes a bit more oily than coffee should, and is lukewarm at best, but Tom is right. Not like it smells. I slowly release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding; My faith in Tom, and in this relationship, still intact.

I still didn’t finish the coffee.

Jenny

I think of California as officially "home" but can usually be found a lot closer to the equatorial belt. After finishing a Masters program in 2011 I found myself trying to decide between a couple of different high-powered career options. I decided I wasn't quite ready to "grow up" and went with an entirely different plan which involved selling off everything I owned with my partner Tom and buying a one-way ticket to Colombia. Our plan was to travel "Till The Money Ran Out" and then go home to start our grown-up lives. Instead, we started our own app development company on the road and have been criss-crossing the globe, traveling, working, eating spicy food and refusing to "grow up" ever since. You can find me on Twitter, , Facebook or send me a message using our About Us page.

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2 Responses

  1. After just the few days that we have spent with you guys I can perfectly visualize this entire scene…

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