A man at the diner told me his coffee story from a 1970s truck stop

He said the coffee was terrible, just boiled grounds in a tin pot, but it was the only thing open at 3 AM during a snowstorm. That idea of coffee as a simple, needed comfort stuck with me. What's the worst cup you've ever had that you were still grateful for?

2 comments

2 Comments

coleman.jade28d ago

Oh man, that story hits home. I read about soldiers in WWII who'd make "cup of joy" with instant coffee, melted chocolate, and crumbled hardtack biscuits. Sounds like gritty mud, but they wrote home calling it the best thing ever. My own version was gas station coffee that tasted like burnt tires after an all-night drive. It was awful, but it kept me awake and felt like a warm handshake when I was totally alone. Sometimes the worst cup is exactly what you need.

jordan65328d ago

Ha, that gas station coffee sounds about right. My own low point was this lukewarm sludge from a truck stop that somehow tasted like regret. But you're totally right, it hits different when you really need it.