Written by John Safin

Your heart is beating. Palms are sweaty. Breathing is heavy. First date jitters? Nope. It’s all that coffee we’re drinking.

What happens when you respond to a personal ad?

– "Let’s meet for coffee"

What happens when you’re set up with someone?

– "Let’s meet for coffee"

What do you say to the person you just met in the grocery store checkout line?

– "How can UFOs be over the White House?" (oops! wrong conversation!)

The average American drinks 3.3 cups of coffee per day says the National Coffee Association. Arizona Single Scene recently stated there are 84 million singles in the United States. For many of us singles, we’re meeting and greeting for the first time with a cup of coffee.

A rich house blend, a flavored brew or maybe something without the caffeine zing. Then it’s time for the accoutrements to coffee: cream, milk, half & half, sugar, pink packet, blue packet, flavored powder, or plain. Pay attention. This person maybe over to your place for coffee in the future. Impress him or her with their special blend of coffee additives.

Some of us go wild with the triple espresso mocha grande add a shot of caramel syrup topped with whipped cream and vanilla sprinkles. Not for the meek.

Now that the drinks are ready, we sit down for a nice chat.

Our conversations are casual at the beginning. We smile. We share our backgrounds and create a nice casual conversation. Trading similar stories and get over the slight awkwardness of the first chat.

By the end of the fourth cup of java we’re racing along talking about everything that comes to mind in a blind flurry of activity chatting about our favorite colors to our fifth cousin twice removed who parachuted out of a burning plane while visiting Kansas screaming "Auntie Em, Auntie Em!" while clutching a chicken.

:::phew::::

...Sorry. It’s from all this coffee research.

At the end of your first meeting, a goodbye hand shake might feel like a joy-buzzer in your hand.

Don’t panic.

It’s just the coffee still talking.