By Susan Dromey Heeter
Walls must be constructed, Joyful Musers, high walls, bulletproof walls, magnificent structures used to keep out something I find useless, intolerable, irrefutably awful. And what is that? Fruity teas, non-caffeinated teas, herbal teas. There. It’s out there. Let the controversy begin. I’m ready.
Susan Dromey Heeter
Alas, strong tea is where it’s at. And I like a little milk in mine – not cream, not, oh dear God, anything fruity or sweet, just milk – and I’m partial to skim as it allows the put hair on my chest richness of Barry’s to shine through – to taste the tea, to soak in the richness, to embrace my day and seize the greatness of life.
Tea has been a constant in my life; I’d read the comics across the kitchen table from my dad as he’d have his morning coffee and I’d follow the lives of Nancy and Sluggo, always wondering about Nancy’s pointy hair do. I do admit, I drank Lipton tea, hey – I didn’t know what I didn’t know – and it wasn’t until I actually traveled to Ireland whereupon I embraced the rich, black tea, the hearty joy of a cuppa, the thrill of strong and serious caffeine. Irish tea and I have been together ever since – through deaths and break ups, births and child rearing, laughter and tears.
Tea is where it’s at. And if you have ever put tea in a microwave, well, I don’t know if we can be friends any more. I can, however, be friends with fellow black tea enthusiast, John O’Mahoney, an amigo who hails from Cork, Ireland and who believes, “Nothing in life is as pleasant and as comforting as a cup of tea.” He is also on board with the building of the “big, beautiful huge wall along our southern and northern borders.” As far as those who are to be kept out, they include, “those drinking fruity teas, those who put their milk in and then their tea bags – they’re out.” As adamant about tea as I, yes, he’s Team Black Tea.
So, dear Joyful Musers, if you are reading this with some trepidation because you are a fruity tea drinker, perhaps a lover of chai or Sleepy Time, know it is simply for the sanctity of true and decent black, real tea drinkers you are behind the wall. I do not muse joyfully for your status, but do muse joyfully with a good, quality cuppa…
Susan Dromey Heeter, a writer from Dover who recently let her hair go au natural white, writes “Joyful Musings” for InDepthNH.org. Dromey Heeter is a secondary Spanish Teacher at Dover High School and the mother of two teenage daughters. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards. She also writes about thrift shopping and all things frugal in a column called “Budget Vogue” for the New Hampshire Union Leader.