That's How I Am

Grape, grape, melon, strawberry. Orange, apple, melon, orange. Grape, orange, melon, melon. Apple, grape, apple, apple, strawberry. Melon, orange, apple, grape, grape. That was my dinner today. A sweet and crisp ready-to-eat fruit salad. On the plastic cover that covers the plastic container it says, Use by 23 MAR. I wonder how long the fruity pieces were in there.

Nescafé Gold, edel & aromatisch. A bulky glass bottle with 200g of premium quality instant coffee. The label says that coffee is a natural source for polyphenols, which are antioxidants, hence vitamin-like plant products that protect the somatic cells. One cup a day, it says, provides you with a significant amount. Amazing how they make coffee sound like a health product.

'Hi, how are you?' she asks. I respond with a smile and a nod, then look at the menu. 'Great,' she says, 'how was your weekend? Busy? Had a lot of work? Study?' Why don't you just take my order, I think. 'Yeah,' I say, 'there's always something to do.' This time she smiles and nods. I feel bad so I say, 'And how was yours?' She says, 'Great! I didn't have to work.'

'Good,' I say and nod again. 'A cappuccino, please.' And that's the most that I said today. As I sat down and got out my notebook and pen I realised that lately most of my days are like that. I eat food that is already cut, out of plastic containers that I keep and use as dishes, with plastic cutlery that I collect as well. I drink coffee, more than I drink water. And I barely talk.