There was a special Nolan idea about the coffee. It was their one
great luxury. Mama made a big potful each morning and reheated it for
dinner and supper and it got stronger as the day wore on. It was an
awful lot of water and very little coffee but mama put a lump of chicory
in it which made it taste strong and bitter. Each one was allowed
three cups a day with milk. Other times you could help yourself
to a cup of black coffee anytime you felt like it. Sometimes when you
had nothing at all and it was raining and you were alone in the flat, it
was wonderful to know that you could have something even though it was only a cup of black and bitter coffee.”
“Francie is entitled to one cup each meal like the rest. If it makes
her feel better to throw it way rather than to drink it, all right. I
think it’s good that people like us can waste something once in a while
and get the feeling of how it would be to have lots of money and not
have to worry about scrounging.
Betty Smith A tree grows in Brooklyn
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| Sunday afternoon treat: coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream |
I remember reading A tree grows in Brooklyn while I was still in highscool (seems like a lifetime ago) and this passage of the book affected me in a most profound way. Despite of the fact that we are forever scrounging and saving and whining about it, I am keenly aware that I live in a society of incredibly privileged people where certain commodities are taken for granted. Like clean running water, electricity, the ability to go on vacation, ... Imagine living in a world where your one and only luxury is to be able to afford to waste a cup of coffee
Welcome back from your break. I have missed you. Hope your time off was therapeutic and productive. I love that book. My best memory of it was her eating the sweetened condensed milk as an occasional treat. Didn't she put a dollop in her cup of coffee sometimes? I would like to retread that excellent book.
ReplyDeleteSanda my time off was mostly about exploring new things in the "real" world :-) I belive I've got some blogging material now
DeleteWishing you a happy sunny day!
Great to see you Ana...Thank you for sharing...for reasons not clear to me, I have always been aware of the many things we have that we take for granted...of course, nowadays it is easier to be aware because most people who have live within short distance of those who don't but still knowing that should make us so grateful...Happy July 1st to you xx
ReplyDeleteI have a theory that people with pets ae more sensitive, intuitive and gentle. All excellent qualities we learn and maintain through observation and interaction with our pets.
DeleteAna, it is wonderful to have you back again in blog land. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of my all-time favorite books. I remember reading it the first time in Middle School, and I've re-read it many, many times over the years. The movie is great too. Did you see it?
ReplyDeleteSusan, I had no idea there was a movie as well. I'll look it up on IMDB. Though honestly I tend to get disappointed when seeing a movie version of good book, somehow few movies can really capture the eloquence and rich world of the written text. What do you think?
DeleteHave never heard of the book,sounds a well written informative one for children.
ReplyDeleteCertain books resonate with us all our lives.
I thought of you while watching the first of a new series on TV of Poirot,enjoy
them when Zoe Wanamaker plays Ariadne Oliver,she is a great actress.
JUdith, I love Zoe Wanamaker as Ariadne. It was a great idea to cast a strong female role as Poirot's counterpart/sidekick. In my opinion it brightens up the darker aspects of the films.
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