Naught for All

It's been a while, and this one ain't even mine. Weak, I know, but the coffee's strong and I loved this monologue by Greg Brown. The lyrics are great, too, but this bit struck me and I thought I'd share it with you. When I figure out how to add music I will attach the song!

You know, it’s morningtime baby; I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. It’s one of those grey, misty, chilly mornings… Hard to tell the sun is even up, but it is! Morning is here, morning has broken! Like the first morning. It’s time to wake up and face another day in our troubled and confusing world.

I know that’s hard for you, my love. I know you have a hard time waking up in the morning. I myself, I wake up like a small boy every day: cheerful, happy, smiling, singing. Then by noon I feel fairly mature, by evening I’m in deep despair, wake up the next day I’m okay again. I know it’s kinda the opposite of that for you, my love, which is probably why we get along as well as we do. Especially on about early afternoon.

But you know what I did this morning, baby? Even though it’s cold out, I ran into the kitchen, I made you some coffee… Even though I’m kinda an Earl Grey type of guy myself, I like that tea – coffee seems a little bitter to me. But you love coffee and that’s what love is all about: learning to love what your lover loves. Getting as close as you can, anyway.

And in spite of the way this song sounds, I didn’t make it in a percolator. You know I wouldn’t do that to you. I know you’re a coffee aficionado. You people don’t even want to hear about percolators, no. I used a number 6 filter in a pour-through cone, I used those good, dark French Roast beans, I ground ‘em up with the little grinder thing. I timed it when I was grinding ‘em, just for you, my love. It’s some good stuff. I got my finger down in there by that blade; watch out, it’s sharp! I got a good fleck of that black gold out, I got it all into the cone, put in a little half-and-half; I know you like that. It’s some good stuff.

If you could just sit up now, and just try and open your left eye. Just work on your left eye, it’s all downhill from there. Get your olfactory passes open, get a whiff of this stuff. Everything’s gonna be all right, baby, really it is. Sun is up; it’s gonna be a beautiful day.

-Greg Brown; Good Morning Coffee