Mocha Moment

One night last week neither of us wanted to fix dinner, so we headed to the hospital cafeteria in Coupeville where we knew we could get a good meal cheap--sliced pork tenderloin, au gratin potatoes and roasted carrots for $4.00.  While filling our water glasses, I noticed a coffee/cappuccino machine sitting by the water dispenser.  There were eight choices and the price was right.  Twelve ounce cappuccinos or mochas or coffee or hot chocolate were $1.20.  That bit of information got tucked into the back of my mind.  Several times over the next few days, the mocha possibility popped into my mind but was quickly dismissed.  This afternoon we filled the back of the car with trash and recyclables and took them to the recycle center and dump in Coupeville. The clear glass goes into this bin, separated from the green and brown glass, and the flattened cardboard goes over there.  Sort the soda cans from the soup cans, the paper from the plastic.  Done.  On the way home I suggested that we stop at the hospital for a cappuccino.  It was raining and a cool 54 degrees, and we deserved a treat.  No one was in the cafeteria.  We chose our drinks--mochas--and watched while the machine miraculously did its thing. We punched the button. First the hot espresso poured into the paper cup.  It stopped and the hot chocolate streamed in.  It stopped and was topped off by steaming milk.  Repeat.  We paid our $2.60 and sat down at the corner table which had a pretty bouquet of flowers in the middle.  Hobart placed me in a chair facing a huge window and said, "Look."  He pointed to the horizon where I could see cars cresting a hill and then heading down toward town.  "Isn't that a wonderful view?" he commented. "I sat there last week and enjoyed that view.  I want you to enjoy it today."  We sipped our hot drinks.  Perfect.  Better than Starbucks (which is a risky thing to say out loud in Washington.)  We had a moment...a wonderful moment...enjoying our mochas, visiting, and watching the cars appear and disappear to unknown destinations.  Recycling has its rewards.