Thinking about iced coffee and Tolstoy

I hate the sound of other people kissing. By other people, I mean this teenage couple next to me at Starbucks. They are part of the after high school rush that invades this Starbucks at 3pm every weekday. The young gent is wearing way too much cologne and by the distinctly immature, fruity smell of the cologne I am guessing it is from Abercrombie and Fitch.

A while back I read a collection of Leo Tolstoy's short stories. It was the first Tolstoy book/collection that I have ever read. I felt like I was reading the Bible. The man really likes parables. I enjoyed it for the most part. The stories aren't page turners, but they make you think, like this passage from "The Raid". This is shortly after the death of a young soldier who valiantly charged into a forest and came out severely wounded. The narrator, a young, once-eager soldier himself, starts the conversation:

"Oh, what a pity," I could not help saying as I turned away from that sad sight.

"Of course it's a pity," said an old soldier who was standing near me, mournfully leaning on his rifle. "He's not afraid of anything--how can anyone go on like that?" He added, staring at the wounded officer. "He's stupid too--and now he's paid for it."

"Aren't you afraid?"

"What do you think?"

There will always be something that is comforting about a Starbucks iced coffee. Its taste doesn't make me miss the job, but it reminds me of a good year, with a good friend in Longmont. It is security in a cup. That's a lot to say about a drink, but that's the best way to describe it. It is the beginning of a friendship. It is comfort, a little money and insurance. It is a home away from home. The smooth, caramel-like, satin finish is is nice, but it is much more than that. Starbucks, as much as I didn't want it to be my job, was good for me and to me. I won't romanticize it anymore than that.