Sniffs ñ Whiffs

It was one of those lazy Saturday mornings that I customarily would sit home and enjoy the weekend after gruelling a weekday of 9-5. I didn’t joke with Saturdays but the strangest thing happened. Carina, my Scientist friend from college asked to meet at the café down the street by eight am. She sounded so excited over the phone that I couldn’t help being alarmed.

I asked consistently if everything was okay. But she told me that what she was going to tell me was most likely the best thing I was going to hear since sliced bread. I genuinely had never heard such infectious glee in Carina for as long as I knew.

_Source

So, here I was at the Morning Sun Café by 7. 45 am, savouring the freshly brewed coffee as I waited for Carina’s arrival. Morning Sun was known for serving exquisite coffee. And even though I could confidently boast of having rare and exotic coffee brands back at home, the aromatic coffee in my cup came fairly close. I took a long sniff and exhaled satisfactorily.

“You know that will be all over soon right?” A voice called from behind me.

I let out an expletive before I could hold myself back. “I see some things don’t change,” I growled at Carina. “You’re almost 30, Car. I should think you’ve outgrown those childish habits of sneaking up on people.”

Carina chuckled dismissively and settled down in the seat in front of me. The barista came with the menu so she could make her order but she smilingly shooed her away and I watched as she took in the café. Was that pity in her eyes?

“So,” I started. “Why am I here when you know how much a girl values her weekends?” The forlorn look on Carina’s face disappeared, pure glee taking over.

“So remember that unique project I told you my company and I were working on?” She spoke animatedly.

“Yeah?”

“But I didn’t tell you what project it was right?”

“Yeah, 'cause you said it was top secret.”

She drew closer like we were plotting a conspiracy and unconsciously I did same. “Well, it’s no secret any more. It’s something that will change your life forever. Caffex.” She finished with a flourish.

“What’s that again?” I asked befuddled.

“It’s the best thing ever. Snortable coffee. The barista got your order wrong. Always fixing that rusty coffee machine,” She gave me a pointed look. “Caffex is coffee but now you just gotta sniff it and you’re rewarded with the full experience. No side effects. Pure. Sublime coffee.”

“So, basically a group of nerd druggies came together to make one more powder to sniff on?”

Carina gave me a scathing look like she couldn’t believe she was friends with someone so dumb.

“That’s mean, Tess.” She fumed. “Anyways, I could forgive you 'cause you haven’t tasted it yet. I guarantee it would be the best experience ever. Take my word for it.” She added the last part seriously.

I contemplated. This was some creepy stuff but Carina had never lied to me. Was it safe to risk it? I took one look at her puppy dog eyes that widened for my benefit.

I grunted. “Okay, fine. When can I have it?”

“Yessss!” She pumped her fist. “Come to the lab tomorrow.”

I stayed back at the Café long after Carina left, wondering how possible some powder could completely replace a liquid so legendary as coffee. “Caffex.” I scoffed. “How unoriginal.”

---

_Source

I sat cross-legged in Carina’s overly lit lab as I waited for her to bring the magic powder. I fought a little twinge of trepidation. Nothing could replace coffee. I muttered.

“Here you go.” She presented it in a little box. Carefully, she scooped a teaspoon and levelled it into a saucer. I glared at the offending brown powder, wondering how I was going to sniff at it. It was honestly giving druggie. But I didn’t want to hurt Carina’s feelings by repeating it.

Slowly, I bent down and sniffed it. I expected to at least choke but I closed my eyes as the effect flowed immediately into my bloodstream. Carina was right. It had the same satisfying feeling as the first sip of coffee in the morning. It was truly sublime. And I let out a little appreciative moan.

“I told you, you won’t regret it.” Carina beamed.

“I guess it’s not so bad,” I answered groggily.

---

_Source

As I got back home from the enlightening experience, I looked at my rusty trusty coffee machine. I thought of how well it had served me for so long and then the memories streamed. Memories I’d had with friends and loved ones making coffee. The therapeutic feeling of fixing myself a cup in the morning. All that exorcised for a powder that would always be a copycat of the original.

My marketing agency could help the spread of the powder. But could I let something so catastrophic into the world of caffeine? I made a cup of coffee for myself and slowly dialled Carina’s line.

“Let’s talk over coffee when you’re free.”

“Oh.” She said quietly, knowing what that meant. “I guess you choose to stick to the old ways.”

“Yes.” I grinned into the phone, sniffing the aromatic cup in my hand. “Always.”

Jhymi🖤