The Boring Word About Tea Drinkers Unite!

August 28, 1985

I have decided I am a part of a minority and need a support group to help fight for my rights. My problem is that I drink tea! It may be considered unAmerican but not only to I prefer tea but I dislike coffee!

I have friends who brag that they cannot begin the day without their cup of coffee. Wherever you go there are pots of coffee awaiting the millions who seem to be addicted to the brew. But for those of use who prefer tea it is another story.

At a meeting or social gathering ask for a cup of tea and the sweet little lady behind the table will become flustered. No doubt you will have to wait until the water boils, and someone finds the tea bags. By the time your cup of tea arrives the rest of the group will have adjourned to another room.

But even assuming tea is offered we are often faced with problems unique to the tea drinker. Take the matter of what to do with the tea bag. (You notice I don’t even mention serving fresh brewed tea.) Rarely will you find a saucer for your soggy tea bag, nor will a waste basket, or other receptacle be available. So there you stand debating whether you should keep the bag in your cup (turning it eventually to the consistency of lye), leave it on the white linen tablecloth, or perhaps slip it in your pocket.

Then there is the second cup. In most restaurants coffee drinkers are almost forced to drink a second, third and even fourth cup of coffee. Last week in a restaurant an entire pitcher of coffee was put on our table for my husband and then the waitress returned and asked him if he wanted more! If he had consumed all the coffee offered we would have had to stop at every rest stop along the interstate for the rest of the day!

On the other hand tea drinkers are lucky to get a container of water which may fill their cup 1 and 1/2 times. Of course since you only get one tea bag more is not really needed. Speaking of the containers that are used for the water, the variety could fill a book. I have had hot water brought to me in glass jars, and metal, plastic or insulated pitchers. They have had pour spouts, spring lids, paper covers, plastic bowls and saucers sitting on top of them. One thing they all have in common is that none are designed to pour water without spilling at least one fourth of it on the table.

And yet inevitably I pay the same price for my tea as my husband does for his coffee, even though I know my tea is not as expensive.

But I have not given up. I am still looking for places that appreciate the individual who drinks tea. There are still a few. Once I ate in a restaurant that offered me a choice of teas! And last week I was served hot water in my cup, an additional pitcher of hot water and wonder of wonders – TWO tea bags.

GCB