What's Decaf?
A song, an album, a film and a book to get me through it.
On Friday afternoon I’m having a routine scan done — nothing to worry about…I know, famous last words. But the results of this scan are less of a worry than what precedes the test: a morning without caffeine or coffee. Or exercise — which I’m assuming includes no surfing. I’m already preparing myself for a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.
You see, over the course of the past 30 years as a coffee drinker (yes, I started around age 15, copied my gramma’s order: styrofoam cup, no sugar, just black, donut-shop java and never looked back) I’ve had coffee, one way or another, every single day for three decades. I laugh thinking about some of the dire situations I’ve been in and needed to and managed to find my cup of black coffee and did.
One time on a layover in Bangkok I couldn’t tell if it was morning or evening and deduced it was morning thanks to my body’s dire need for coffee. I found some watered down cup from a noodle vendor in the terminal before grabbing my next flight and survived. Sorta. On Friday, I’m not sure what will happen.
In preparation for this endeavor, I’m stocking up on endorphins, creativity and enthusiasm. Inspiration you might call it. Things I know I’ll need when the mid-to-late morning arrives and I owe you a full-length newsletter and I’m not allowed to touch “the stuff.” I will apologize in advance for whatever comes off the keys on Friday. Maybe it will be great!
In any case, I’ve assembled a song, a record, a movie and a book for you — because what else is there? — just in case you find yourself in a dire situation like me: caffeine and exercise deprived midday on a Friday and in need of a kick in the ass to get you to Happy Hour.—Travis Ferré
