The Mysterious Cure

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I strolled through the streets, dragging my feet on the pedestrian walkway as I pretended to be purposeful about my destination. Every step was elaborated on, my feet barely lifted off the tar as I searchingly scanned my surroundings looking for any means of distraction to deter me from my journey of misery home.

It's been three days since the unpleasant news bounced off my ears like a heavy metal noise, but unlike heavy metal, this stayed with me, seeping through my mind and devouring every remnant of residual joy.

Every day was spent in misery, cuddling my roommate and best friend, sharing in its pain and wishing that I could eventually absorb it as I continued to wallow. But with each passing day came new complications, complications that the doctor had already told me would occur subsequently.

Already I was feeling out of place in this vast space filled with pollution and unnecessary show-off by people I knew were innate miseryguts, personified by the ice-cream seller honking through the streets with a wide smile and grin pretending to be happy in his profession when in truth he can barely afford a square meal.

I looked around and everything seemed out of place and annoying. There was no happiness in this environment for me but I also knew I couldn't go home as the sight of my dog lying in pain, helpless and just waiting for its appointed time would end up breaking my heart and increasing the volume of my misery.

At this point, I was not different from the people I despised, but at the same time I'd rather bask in their vain and ephemeral convviviality than resort to the soul wrenching company of best friend. To compound issues for me, I had run out of my coffee beverage that morning.

That is to say that I was deprived of the only haven where I usually run to for succor, making the day a horrible one before it even started. Memories started flooding my mind of my best time with the only friend that knew me, the only friend that understood me, the only friend that could bear my flaws without ever judging me.

Tears started trickling down my cheeks. I quickly wiped it off with the sleeve of my shirt before I would attract unnecessary attention to myself. I knew I needed a new distraction to take my mind off things before I break down on the road.

Immediately, I lifted my eyes to scan my surroundings again for any source of distraction. There was the grocery store opposite me with a chubby looking man with beards that looked like pastures for cows, beside it was a jewelry store with exotic accessories that looked too expensive for me.

As I turned around I noticed a library behind me. "Perfect" I thought to myself as I strolled in to meet the librarian. I asked for my favorite romance section. "Over there, three shelves to your right" she replied pointing opposite her.

Immediately, I located Jane Austen's section and started peeling at the books, looking for one I've not yet read. That was when I noticed a recipe book hidden beneath a pile on one of the rows. I grabbed it to show the librarian, but was immediately distracted by the book title "The Secret Alchemic Magic of Coffee".

Curious, I flipped through the pages of the book to ascertain its contents. That was when my eyes rested on a special recipe that could cure grilyncoitis, the same disease plaguing my dog which the veterinarian had told me had no cure.

Immediately I rushed out the library, stopping by the librarian's table for documentation. I rushed into the grocery store just opposite the library and grabbed the recipe as quickly as I could and ran the whole distance back home.

I went straight to the kitchen and put the motions in place, turning on the coffee maker while I rushed off to the other side of the house to pluck utasi, the secret ingredient for the healing coffee from my grandma's garden.

As I came back, I hurriedly made the special coffee with adept attention to the specifications and directions from the book. Then I took a cup to go meet my dog in its cage at the back of the house. On seeing me, it rose painfully, while wiggling its tails in excitement.

"You'll be fine dear" I whispered to it more in hope than in belief. Then I poured a bowl full, for it which it grudgingly licked off the bowl. Adhering to directions from the book, I allowed it rest the night. The following morning, I immediately rushed him to his vet for more tests, and miraculously, the disease had vanished.

We went home together playing and laughing, knowing that coffee came to our rescue again.