Tea is a staple of British culture. Not being British, it is hard for me to grasp its significance fully. The British brought tea from China to Europe and then made it their national drink. I drink tea on occasion all kinds from Herbal to Earl Gray but for me, tea does not hold the place that coffee does. Coffee is everywhere, almost every restaurant and gas station have some form of coffee available. It is so important to us that some of us joke about how we are not persons until we have drunk the first cup of the day. > **An excerpt from John Adams Letters After The Boston Tea Party** > > [http://www.webcitation.org/6Nf94i40v](http://www.webcitation.org/6Nf94i40v)  > > I believe I forgot to tell you one Anecdote: When I first came to this House it was late in the Afternoon, and I had ridden 35 miles at least. “Madam” said I to Mrs. Huston, “is it lawful for a weary Traveller to refresh himself with a Dish of Tea provided it has been honestly smuggled, or paid no Duties?” { 130 } “No sir, said she, we have renounced all Tea in this Place. I can’t make Tea, but I'le make you Coffee.” Accordingly, I have drank Coffee every Afternoon since, and have borne it very well. Tea must be universally renounced. I must be weaned, and the sooner, the better. After the Boston Tea Party, tea was all but illegal. There has always been a place in human culture for a universally accepted drink that tends to be hot and from what I can surmise contains caffeine. The Mayans had hot chocolate, The Oriental cultures had tea so did the European cultures and even Russians. Tea has been the reigning champion of mugs worldwide for centuries until recently where coffee took the lead. ## Why did John Adams want that cup of tea? He wanted to refresh himself. What he found was a moment between him and another where independence was being declared by all in a simple hot drink known as coffee. There is something special about eating together, sharing a beer together or experiencing the same roast from a shared french press. Sure we all love the caffeine and the morning wake up. What we really love is togetherness. When you come together with friends, family, lovers or even strangers and when the coffee is not just made but crafted, well that excellence seeps into your conversation and your time spent together. Longview needs good coffee because, over coffee that is crafted and cared for we can have a personal conversation about the world, our lives, and the different paths we trod. When you sit down to refresh yourself over a warm cup of coffee at [The Silver Grizzly](http://silvergrizzlyespresso.com/), I hope I am there to enjoy an excellent conversation, excellent like the coffee we will share. Come by and see me sometime I usually let others know when I will be there on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/huzzahbeard/). Maybe you are here for [poetry](http://www.aaronblakeley.com/writings/category/poetry/) or the [Daily Haiku](http://www.aaronblakeley.com/writings/category/web-comic/the-daily-haiku/) I hope to not disappoint.