10/24/2025
The Poncho…. A continuation from last week’s newsletter where our characters, Natasha, Bianca, and Boris are facing the mysteries of drear, unmeasurable weights, and apathy. (please refer back to mystery 3 to make the connections as needed)
As Boris drank from his non-latte, latte. He began to squint. Everything in the room seemed to be a shade darker. “Is this drink clouding my vision?” he thought to himself out loud.
“No, you’re actually seeing as it is,” said Bianca
“Yeah, it’s like drear removal helps you become aware of the ‘drear’” added Natasha
“Huh, that’s pretty weird,” said Boris as he went to put his drink down his hand shook inadvertently and the rest of it poured out on the counter and splashed onto the book Boris had stolen/borrowed from the library. “Ahhh dang it!” he exclaimed and the three of them watched as the shade of grey in the room funneled itself like a small tornado towards the spilled liquid. Like a waterspout it sucked up the liquid right before their eyes. Boris gasped and grabbed the book opening it so it was pointed away from them and towards the spout. Instead, the mysterious funnel stood still hovering in front of the book that was open towards it. The end of the funnel elongated and stretched out towards the open book and began to peruse the book pages line by line as though it was reading the information.
“Astounding!” whispered Boris
As it “read” the words in the infamous book “Surface Tension: A study of unmeasurable weights and small things” a very high-pitched sound began to resonate from the funnel; it was squealing with an ominous sound of delight or was it pain?
The funnel began to shrink in size until it was as though the shade of drear became the typeset in the book. “Give me that!” shouted Bianca as she grabbed the book from Boris’s hands with force. Her curiosity was at play at such a level that she forgot everything Boris said about reading this particular book. She turned it towards her face and gasped!
“What?” said Natasha walking over to look at it as well. Boris also couldn’t restrain his sense of foreboding towards this book as the draw of many questions compelled his eyes to look at the pages. What they saw changed them all forever.
The pages contained no words, only a reflective surface similar to a mirror or still water. They saw themselves. Each one of them, as beautiful, untouched and unjaded. No one was disfigured or saw themselves in a negative light. They stood speechless before the reflection and marveled as waves of emotions stirred within them.
When they talked about it later. They all agreed that they felt love without fear or pride. The radiance of the reflection could not have been measured or given more weight than their personal experience allows.
And no one really knows what that means…except Nancy Dewhurst. She was so affected as they returned the book altogether and all together. When she saw their incredible demeanor as they presented her with the book, she knew the book had lost its power to control them with details, regulations, and endless clutter. She handed Boris a paper bag and said, “For your travels…and your idiosyncrasies”. Boris opened the bag and pulled out a poncho, some chocolate,and a pumpkin. He was quizzical to say the least. Nancy winked at him and said…”for your next drink.” Boris smiled knowing the gift was a recipe for one of the most comforting mochas of the season.
As for the book; it no longer contained any small, critical, or complicated methods for measuring. Only the unmeasurable weight of reflective stillness that is revealed to one’s own heart. The fear of drear and the shade of darkness dissipated. Replaced with a beauty that shook them from their apathy.
The audacity of a coffee house writing stories for their newsletter is a mystery. But the experience of good taste and unique coffee drinks can break through barriers. Going over your head like a poncho in the cold drear of winter, Ft. Collins Coffee House offers you our October mystery drinks of the month! Light your lantern, get cozy as a slug in a mug, and don’t forget the pumpkin spices! (the Real Ones)
October drinks of the month:
Jack’s Lantern-Maple Jalapeno Latte
Slug in a mug (Drear Removal)
Poncho – Pumpkin spiced-up Mocha
PSL- the Perfect Squash Latte
All of these drinks and a few more will continue through November as we remember to be thankful for what is good.
As for our friend and co-worker, Brendan, who hasn’t been mentioned at all but inspired out character, Boris Yakonovitch the third. The Fort Collins Coffee House extends to you our fondest farewells and comfort to you as you travel back to Michigan. We’ll see you again when you return!
“Admitting that our understanding is tiny is one way to open our perception to unmeasurable realities.”
THANKFULNESS breaks through barriers and confronts complaints with Joy.”
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