Coffee Shop Girl

I visited Dr. JP at his desk one morning about two months ago and I literally gasped with surprise seeing the new issue of American Scientist on his desk. You see I recently picked up that same March-April 2008 issue because of an article titled The Rise of Coffee by entomologist Fernando E. Vega. Apparently, JP and I share an interest in both coffee and scientifically technical rags. It was a good sign.
You see, you can only have admiration for this man, and I count myself very lucky to be his friend. He is a respected epidemiologist to people in the health profession all over the world. He has seen the rise and fall of epidemics, and has personally affected people’s lives with the preventive medicine that is his life endeavor. He is definitely someone I try to emulate not just professionally but due to the numerous talks that we’ve had, I also somewhat wish that I followed similarly in the footsteps of his personal life. Sure, he is not an infallible person, nor are his relationships perfect. But what JP is to me though (and to many others) answers the age old question of, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer being, “I want to be a good man.”

JP and I also share interests in art, photography, beauty, nature, hiking, malacology, and even mycology (we take pictures of fungi), but I know personality wise we are different. Maybe my admiration for him is due to his similarities to my own father. They are the strong silent cerebral types, the old-school (forgive me) man’s man of previous generations that are solid in who they are and what they believe. In fact, when JP told me one day that his relationship with his son is better now that he is an adult, it reminded me of how my father and I have the same rapport now that I am much older. So, I seek his company whenever I can so that I can somehow through osmosis take a bit from his character, but most definitely partake of his wisdom and knowledge about life and love in the absence of my own father’s presence.

So, we got to talking about coffee and how we both appreciated a good strong brew, drinking it black in order to actually taste the quality of the beans. Just as in so many of our talks, I always somehow interject questions about women and relationships to hear what JP has to say backed with all of his wisdom, history and first-hand knowledge. No, actually this time was different as I said, “I just met an amazing woman, and guess what? She drinks her coffee black too!” A woman who appreciates the taste of pure coffee, he says to me, “Man, you better hold on to that one!” I smiled. My heart smiled too at the many possibilities at that time, yet some doubts and questions entered my mind. I finally had to ask, “JP, I really like her. How do I hold on to this one? ” He smiled wide and shrugged, “I don’t know. I’ve already found my coffee drinker. And when I did, I held on to her.” I chuckled and thoughts of JP and his wonderful wife, Frances drinking coffee together each morning into their midlives entered my mind. Smiling, I was left wanting for that same connection with someone one day.

This one is for you JP and Fran, and even though things did not go further for you and me, my Coffee Shop Girl, I will always cherish all you gave and our time together.
Coffee Shop
By Landon Pigg

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you.
Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you.
I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down,
I want to come too.

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you
No one understands me, quite like you do,
Through all of the shadowy corners of me.

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much.
All of the while, I never knew.
I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much.
All of the while, I never knew.

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you.
Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you.
I've seen the waters that make your eyes shine,
Now I'm shining too.

Because, oh because,
I've fallen quite hard over you.

If I didn't know you, I'd rather not know.
If I couldn't have you, I'd rather be alone.

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much.
All of the while, I never knew.
I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much.
All of the while, I never knew.

All of the while, all of the while,
And it's you.

The Beachcomber