Sometimes...life’s answers are simple...

Some of my longest moments in life came, when, as an instructor at the Army Academy of Health Sciences got to pull the all night, 24 hour charge of quarters representative for all Air Force students attending the Army school. Why they felt that an Air Force person was required Ill never know...but about twice a year I was up at the school, side by side with an army and a navy representative.

Sometimes we would talk. In the dead of the night with nothing going on, we might play cards. But, whatever we did, we had to stay awake. No sleeping. No naps. And that my friends, meant coffee. Lots and Lots of strong, black in your face coffee. Nothing else seemed to get you through the night.

There was this 30-year Army sergeant, with stripes running up and down his arms that seemed to have the permanent watch, as he was there every time I was there. Not only was he a source of stories, good camaraderie, and excellent advice; he took care of us sleepy watch standers as well. Precisely at 8:00 PM, or 20:00 hundred hours, this man came and made an urn of dark, thick, field coffee. Now, normally it took about 4 cups of my coffee to get me through the night: it only took one of his to jack me to the moon, and keep me awake. His coffee never failed us; if I had to describe it, id say it was chewy with a rip stop bouquet. It was very serious stuff. And you never put cream or sugar in it while he was looking; in his eyes, those condiments plain flat ruined it.

There was one thing that made us curious: each time the coffee finished perking, he'd fill up two cups, and walked back down the hall to his office. Now we know he didn’t have guests, or at least if he did, we never caught him with them. Yet every time when he came to the coffee area, it was with two, white, standard army coffee mugs. Now, we wondered all the time why the two cups: But we never had the guts to ask him why he had them.

One evening, we happened to have an extra army private on duty as a runner. The sergeant came up, got his two cups of coffee, and proceeded down the hall. Thinking quickly, the other Army NCO on duty ordered the young private to follow him at a distance, and report back on who he gave the coffee to. The private, having got his orders, moved off like a herd of turtles after the elderly sergeant.

After 10 minutes, the private came back with a very puzzled look on his face. The other NCO asked him "well, did you see whom he was giving the coffee to?" "He wasn’t giving it to anybody" the private said. "Once That sergeant got past the door and into the hallway, he started shaking so bad that the coffee was flying out of the cups, and all over the carpeted floor. By the time he got back to his office, he took one of the cups and poured it into the other so he'd have one full one."

The sergeant retired a few months later. One of his going away presents were...a large silver thermos travel cup, with a self-closing lid. Engraved on the side was a simple statement...

We enjoyed every single drop of coffee you made for us. You should too. With deepest respects…The CQs.

Must..... have..... coffeeeeee....

Good story, coffee has saved many days/nights at work!

poor guy...but at least he got his coffee.

That's a nice story.

always need to have coffee...

I miss the coffee this old jarhead used to make... he'd recycle an old pot of coffee instead of using new water... wired for sound after a cup of that joe.

Gotta have my java.

Great story!!!

Great story!