Most Expensive

 “What’s the most expensive coffee in the world?”  The question came at the close of a lively discussion in my International Problems class. This lively group of high school seniors included many recent coffee drinkers. In studying the relationship of poor countries to cash crops, they were eager to learn about the economics and politics of coffee.

“ I guess it would be Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee,” I responded.

“What makes it so expensive?” “How much does it cost. Have you ever tasted it?”  The questions kept coming.  I told my class the price is about $40-$50 a pound because it’s usually a very small crop. I tasted once when my local Peet’s coffee shop brewed some and offered small cup tastes one afternoon. It was gone in about an hour.

Taking note of the enthusiasm and interest in this topic, I made my class an offer. 

“Maybe we can taste it here in class.” 

Quickly polling the class, I saw that most were interested. I then took up a collection of quarters, one per person, and promised to make up the difference needed myself.

Shortly before the last day before Winter Break, I stopped by the coffee shop to purchase a pound of Jamaica Blue Mountain. No dice. Apparently Japanese coffee buyers had bought the entire crop.None was available. So I settled  for the second most expensive, which happened to be the most expensive available. That turned out to be Arabian Mocha Java. 

Next day there was some disappointment, big with a shortened class period and coffee tasting the only thing required of them, the disappointment quickly vanished.

My class began their vacation with a belly full of “the worlds most expensive coffee.

10 years later. On the last day before Winter Break, a figure appears in the doorway of my classroom right before the end of the last class.

Im vaguely recognize the person. It’s Sofia, a former student from what? Six years ago, eight...? 

She hands me a paper plate of impressive Christmas cookies saying she must rush off and can’t stay to chat. I thank her and put the plate on my desk. A few minutes later, while gathering up my things before the break, I decide to sample the cookies. It’s then that I notice the plate is resting on a small attached parcel. I separate the parcel from the paper plate. Opening it I find that in my hands I’m holding one pound of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.