Tall Decaf Cappuccino

I do not like coffee. It’s just that simple. I love the smell of the beans, but hate the way it tastes. I'm also afraid that it could stunt my growth. There are very few circumstances under which I will drink coffee: if I have a migraine, in a social setting, and only if there is a LOT of sweet stuff in it.

Yesterday, I went down to the Underground Café for a business meeting, so I ordered some coffee. I always order the same thing: a grande caramel macchiato. It’s the perfect drink with enough caffeine to keep me alert and friendly, enough caramel to mask the bitterness, and enough cream so that it isn’t watery.

While my drink was being made, I noticed that some of the other staff’s favorite drinks were listed. Coach Holloway’s was called the “Why Even Bother?” since it’s all non-fat, decaf, and no sugar. That made me chuckle and reminded me that “the purpose of Starbucks is so people who don't know who they are can—for only $2.95—get not just a cup of coffee, but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall! Decaf! Cappuccino!”

It always amuses me how certain standard deviations from a societal norm can so clearly speak of personality. A lot can be assumed about someone who has both The Who and Taylor Swift on their iPod (and by the way, I do). The same can be said about what someone orders at a café… or whether they even like coffee in the first place.