Coffee

I started my day like any other day as I remember them from my college years. I got up, showered, and made myself a cup of coffee with my French press. As I was stirring the grounds into the hot water, I was trying to remember what I had due in my classes. Beginning to realize that I had no recollection of the day before, I thought to myself, “this is strange.” I shrugged it off as I submerged the plunger and pushed the grounds to the bottom of the carafe. It was an odd feeling, but I somehow figured I must have had some deep dreams the night before and my mind just hadn’t caught up to reality yet. So I poured my coffee into my favorite mug and sat down to check the news and drink my joe before heading off to campus. As I was sitting there sipping on my coffee, I couldn’t help but think, “why can’t I remember what was going on in my classes?” It was a bizarre feeling, and I was kind of freaking out a little.

I finished my coffee and it was time to go, so I went to the sink and placed my empty cup on top of the pile of dishes that my flat-mate still hadn’t gotten to. “I’m going to have to remind him again,” I told myself out loud in an agitated tone as I grabbed my keys and my bag and headed for the door. On the way to campus I continued to try and conjure up any memory of the day before, or even the semester, but with no luck.

As I headed up the steps of Jackson Hall, I marveled that I actually knew where my classes were… it was odd that I hadn’t forgotten that. I rounded the corner and opened the door, just in time, a minute more and I would have been late. It was a small class and the professor had a real distaste for students who show up late. I headed towards my seat, but something wasn’t right, there was a girl in my seat, and she wasn’t a familiar face. I looked around and realized the only familiar face was the teacher’s, I didn’t know any of these students. I started to apologize to the professor, “I must have the wrong day. I have your class tomorrow, don’t I?” He looked at me with a bewildered face and said, “Son, I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’ve never seen you in my life, now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got a lecture I’m about to start so I’d appreciate if you would clear out of my classroom.” I was shocked, didn’t know how to reply, “What? Surely you know me, I’ve had five classes with you over the last two years,” I exclaimed in a frantic tone. “I don’t know what kind of joke this is, but I don’t have time for it, please get out, this is a classroom and we are on a schedule here.” I turned and made a dash for the door, but as I lunged into it to push it open, it didn’t budge and I ran right into it. I smacked my head hard on the solid wood door and fell to the ground with a thud as everything went black.

An instant later I woke up with a start. The flight stewardess asked me if I wanted anything to drink. I looked at her with a confused face blinking a few times. She started to turn away towards the other side of the plane just as I recalled her attention, “I’d like a cup of coffee.”