The Taste of Tea

Tea has a taste which I can't really describe. This is why I want to write a short story about it.


My day started at about 9:00AM. It was too cold to go outside and too cold to stay in. I decided to take a cold shower, and found that was all I needed. I felt better almost immediately! As I walked back out, our small but old cat kissed at me, as she does every day, while sitting on a coffee table we don't relly use any more. Thinking of how we had never used it, I thought about coffee. We had no coffee left. So tea was left. I would have chose tea first, but you know - it's a COFFEE table, not a TEA table. I wanted to relax for a long time, as I did not need to get up for another month to come, so I pulled out the biggest mug I could find - 350ml. That may not seem like much, but it is about 100ml over a cup. Three sugars for me. The white, sweet powder tinkling against the sides of the mug. I loved the sound - not because it was quiet or 'cute', but because it made my spine feel a kind of tingle.

Once I had finished, I sat down on my bed, looked out the window opposite it and saw snow. Again, white, sweet powder. I pulled a grin slowly as my hands wrapped around the warmth of the cylinder within my grasp. I lifted it slihtly, cherishing the taste of it as drained half the mug. I love tea, in case you haven't realised yet. I smiled wider as my organs were warmed inside and out. For the half hour it had taken to make, wait to cool and drinking of that tea, I felt happiness. It might have been something to do with the cup, or maybe the Kettle, a brass hob-heated Kettle. I think it may have been steampunk. I hate steampunk - it's creepy. But, I digress. Something about the tea made me feel the happiness that I wish to obtain. It was sweet, warm, soothing. I close my eyes every time I take a sip of tea, hoping to rediscover the tranquility I once had. What I describe here is not what it actually tastes like, feels like. It's like being born, only much easier. It takes a lot of hard work and time for it to be made, but the result is almost a blessing.

I can't feel that any more. The mug described above was broken, the cat had knocked it off the side with her tail. I don't think I could be happy. People say that there's all these secrets and truths you must find before you can be happy. I say this to you - happiness is not an object to be found nor made. Happiness is inside us. We just need to feel happy enough to let it out. Tea is what makes me happy - what about you?