My Latte Addiction

The other day I was thinking about a latte.  Actually, I was thinking about how much my fancy designer coffee has become a very important part of my life, my day, EVERY day!  Am I addicted?

I've always liked coffee but seldom drank more than a cup a day.  I realized that over the last 3 years I've developed quite a dependency on my daily fix - a latte or two.

I plan my errands so I will pass my favorite coffee place.  I even drive out of my way to hit the Starbucks drive-in, especially in bad weather so I don't have to leave my car.

I am getting proficient in ordering my favorite drink and order quickly and accurately: "I'd like a vente, non-fat, decaf, one Sweet and Low latte, please". The places that know me usually get it right and I get a perfect latte with a thick, fluffy froth.  At places that aren't familiar with my request will, on occasion, forget the sweetener.

Forgetting the sweetener is a disaster, especially if I've driven off or left the shop before tasting my drink.  This necessitates
pulling off the road, digging around in my glove compartment for a hidden, little pink packet of Sweet and Low and having to sprinkle it over my delicate froth.  My latte never tastes as good then.  The sweetener clings to the foam making the first half of my coffee too sweet and the second half, not sweet at all. 

Splenda and the blue packet sweetener aren't quite right.  Splenda requires a packet and a half to make my coffee taste just right, and the blue packet doesn't taste right to me at all.   I always hate to ask for 'a pack and a half''.  It doesn't sound quite right:  "I'd like a non-fat, decaf, one and a half packets of Splenda latte, please".  I'm sure I'd get a puzzled, 'huh?' and have to repeat my order all over again;  probably needing to give some additional information too, while the ever-growing line mumbles impatient-sounding words to one another behind me.