Coffee Talk

As part of my weekend trip back to my childhood home, I have been enjoying several stops at my favorite overpriced coffee shop in the world.

Is there anything better than waiting in line for a $4 cup of coffee?

I didn’t think so.

Well, I strategically scheduled my morning to have a coffee stop between my breakfast meeting with my former boss and my mid-day lunch with my cousins.

Well, breakfast just ended and when I got back to my rental car, I was given my own personal greeting by the city of commerce – a parking ticket.

In this big city, finding a good parking spot is not as easy as it sounds, but today I was one of the lucky ones, finding an opening just a hop and skip away from the restaurant.

I put every coin in my pocket in the meter to make sure I would have enough time to chat. The display on the toll window was so scratched that you could not see how much time you had actually purchased, but I figured my $1.30something would cover it.

I love my former boss and would love to get a chance to work with him again. I know he shares the same feelings for me, but with everybody cutting back right now, it's all about weathering this imperfect storm.

Breakfast was good. I ordered the fruit and yogurt, but all I tasted was remorse.

Deep down I think I enjoyed hearing about all the projects he is working on, but the entire time all I heard was – YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED!

I have really tried to keep bitterness out of my diet – and for the most part, I have succeeded, but knowing that I am without a job and without any real leads, it’s pretty tough.

I made it through breakfast and the 15 minute chat outside of the restaurant, really enjoying his company. He is a great person and deserves all of his success.

I really look forward to the day, where I can call him my boss, again.

As I left the restaurant and turned the corner, I immediately noticed the paper under my windshield wiper. I knew immediately that it was not a flyer for a rage party, but I figured, how much could it possibly be?

$50, that’s how much.

$50!

Do you know what you can get for $50? 12-and-a-half cups of $4 coffee. That’s what you can get for $50.

I don’t know if a $20 ticket would’ve brought on the same deflated feeling, but after seeing the price of my mistake, I immediately called my wife and broke down.

Let’s be honest, $50 is not going to be the difference between life and death, but when things are going bad, $50 feels like a million.

During breakfast, my wife had called to inform me she was at the tire store back home and she needed two new tires. I didn’t bother asking how much, but I’m guessing we are talking a couple of months worth of my favorite coffee or a couple of days of $50 parking tickets.

I’ve been very lucky to be able to live on a pretty stable ground during my bout with unemployment, but it really doesn’t take much to push you over the edge.

Sometimes it’s a phone call. Sometimes it’s the battery going on the TV remote. Today it was a $50 parking ticket.

I’m hoping to get over it soon, but for now, I am really bummed.

Somewhere between my bad luck and my stupidity, I am $50 in the hole.

Originally, I thought it was the money that annoyed me, but the as I sit here, I think it’s just the fact that it's another piece of bad news.

I’m really looking forward to getting a break.

After getting the ticket, my mood turned so sour, so quickly, that my wife had to pull out the “we are so lucky to be blessed with three great kids.”

Wow, I must’ve sounded pathetic.

I think I'm ready for that coffee now.