Chapter 11: Bittersweet
"You never put sugar or cream in your coffee," I observe.
"Adding sugar and cream to coffee is like putting salt and pepper on food," she explains. "If I get tired of the taste, I'll put it in. Usually though, I just want to enjoy it the way it is."
"I'm the type that adds both," I say, "since I don't really like the bitter taste of coffee. But you don't seem to mind bitter things, do you Big."
"I guess I don't mind them. But behold!! There lies a piece chiffon cake and coffee right in front of you."
Holding her coffee cup in her hand, she grins at me.
"In situations like these," she goes on, "you must savor the bitterness of the coffee and the sweetness of the cake together. It's a delightful combination like nothing else."
Sure enough, my sugar and cream?filled coffee just doubles the sweetness of the cake, creating a confused riot of sugar on my tongue.
"What I'm saying is that the universe is full of things that might exist independently of one another but will never be complete on their own. By bringing them together, we can create an entirely new thing that is itself complete, perfect, and indivisible. Isn't it amazing?"
"You're getting pretty metaphysical on me, Big," I tell her, "but I think I get what you're trying to say. It's a metaphor for you and me, right?"
"If that's the case," she replies, "I'm definitely the chiffon cake."
Ha. Clearly she's the coffee.
And with that thought in mind, I plunk the rest of my cake in my mouth.
Everybody's got their own idea of what a cup of coffee needs.
Some prefer sugar and cream and some, like Big, would rather drink it black with a piece of chiffon cake.
And I'm sure there are plenty of people who just want the coffee by itself.
If someone simply gave me coffee, would I really need to add anything to it?
For me, coffee is an essential part of life. Is it really because of the sugar and cream?
Or because of the chiffon cake?
"Wow, that was delicious!" Big exclaims. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting much. But the coffee and the chiffon cake were both really good."
She puts down her empty coffee cup with a satisfied clink.
"I thought the same thing," I tell her. "I was pretty sure they were going to serve us something mediocre."
"Of course," Big adds, "nothing beats that chiffon cake we ate together when we first met."
"Actually, I got that one from a convenience store. But it still tasted great…I remember."
Following little Big's lead, I clink my coffee cup down on the table too.
"It's hard to beat the meow-vellous taste of your memories neow, isn't it?"
Right on cue, Katie appears the second we finish our meal.
Hands clasped at the chest and head tilted ever so slightly, she flashes us her kittenish grin.
"Well then, are you purr-eady to start the game?"