August 16, 2023: Malinda the petite and my coffee addiction
August 16, 2023. As the clock struck half past eleven and I was about to leave the library to head to the cafeteria, I spotted her downstairs in the foyer at a table in front of the lockers. Her hair was elegantly tied up in a bun, shining brightly in blonde. But what immediately caught my attention was her petite stature, which stood out in the T-shirt she was wearing. I glanced over at her briefly, and she returned the gaze. Without stopping, I left the library through the first door and stood between the two entrance doors. Determined, I turned around and approached her. She paused rummaging in her backpack and looked at me as I approached.
"Hey, I saw you yesterday at a table outside the cafeteria. I sat nearby. You were eating a vegetarian dish. Are you a vegetarian?"
"Um, yes. I'm almost vegan."
"Can I give you my phone number so we can arrange a coffee date right away?"
"Hmm, I'm not really up for it. But sure, go ahead," she said, handing me her phone.
"What's your name?" I asked her as I entered my number.
"Malinda. And you?"
"Uh, I've never heard that name before," I said, turning my gaze from the phone to her. "I'm Alexander," I continued, reaching out my hand. We shook hands, and I handed her back the phone.
"Just give me a call when you're ready," I added before heading further into the cafeteria.
After lunch, I waited for her call. Two hours passed, and I decided to take a coffee break outside. As I passed by the cafeteria building, I noticed the occupied tables of students enjoying their lunch. Malinda was among them, deeply engaged in conversation with a guy standing in front of her. They smiled at each other. "Not a good sign," I thought and continued my way to HanoMacke to get myself a coffee.
With the cup in my hand, I sat down on a bench by the grass and looked around, pretending not to have noticed Malinda. In reality, I was just waiting for the guy to leave. Behind me, a dandelion grew on the small lawn. I picked it, and when I turned back towards Malinda, the guy was gone. Determined, I approached Malinda, who was now talking to her friend sitting opposite her.
"Hey Malinda," I introduced myself, standing between the two girls and handing her the flower.
"Oh, sweet. Thank you," said Malinda, placing the flower on her tray. I looked into her flawless face, into her blue eyes.
"So, is our coffee date still on?" I asked, noticing that she already had a coffee cup on her tray.
"Sorry, I don't have time and also no desire to socialize with strangers right now."
"That's a pity. I was looking forward to meeting you," I lowered my gaze and theatrically buried my face in my forearm as if crying.
"Take care, Malinda. Maybe it will work out between us in a parallel universe," I said with a poker face and walked back to the library, determined to continue studying the health effects of coffee.
It was most likely the secondary plant substances that reduced the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It wasn't the caffeine or the coffee itself as a beverage. So I could just as well drink tea to reap the same positive health benefits. I also learned that coffee is acidic. Acidification can lead to hair loss and other health problems. During the roasting of coffee beans, acrylamide is formed, depending on the degree of roasting—a carcinogenic substance. This also occurs, for example, when the toaster is forgotten to be turned off and the toast has black charred spots. Coffee is also not really sustainable because it's not regional, and it leads to deforestation. When will I finally stop drinking coffee?
Learning: Coffee is my worst addiction, and if it's not an addiction, then it's one of the hardest-established habits. It will surely take a while to get rid of this dependency.