Field Trip to Café Kelly

Mental Note: Think twice before ever again googling 'Scary Seat Belt'

It isn't everyday that I am lying on a table while a large muscular man straps what appears to be a complicated seat belt around his waist in preparation for laying hands on me. I am learning just how far my eyes can rotate to the side while the rest of my face is acting casual.

So on one of the worst days ever to be a big rig in the Bay Area (three different flipped-truck accidents,) I drove to San Francisco to have Kelly work some more on my shoulder.  After over two grueling hours in transit, I  arrived at Mr. K's café.

So back to the seat belt scenario.  I'm lying on the table, eyes glued to the belt.  But  before I have a chance to formulate a coherent question to ask Kelly what he has in mind, we are interrupted by a of course, muscular man carrying two coffees.  While they chat, I inhale deeply hoping to snort up some of the caffeinated aroma.

Then it hits me.

Kelly is drinking coffee!  What?!?  I thought we all had to drink that green tea stuff.

Coffee.  Think Garbage's #1 Crush.

Sure enough, Kelly is a serious coffeeisseur. 

I felt like a deprived oenophile (Word of the Day) living in a Carolina Dry County who finds out her church pastor is boot-legging fine French wines.

BTW, here is a true story:

When I was in the hospital with the bleeding ulcer, I was forced into coffee-withdrawal cold turkey.  My decaffeination-generated delirium was so pitiful that the lobby coffee vendor actually brought open canisters of freshly ground coffee blends for me to smell.  But I digress.

So snapping the belt in his hands, Kelly discusses his brewing techniques, drinking preferences and favorite blends.  And he is giving me permission to re-enter the world of sensual Coffee-opium Dens. And here I am, totally coffee-seduced, distracted away from the fear of the seat belt (is it a restraint?)

To top it off, Kelly promises to share his coffee!

I had that promise steaming in my mind the entire time.

And then the visit took a sadistic turn.

He drank up that entire coffee all by his own self.