A Spot of Tea and Trouble

I had decided to buy tea.  It seemed so straightforward.  But it didn't work out.  It didn't work out at all.

The sequence of events began when I was walking past a tea store and an employee offered me a sample.  Normally I avoid people who approach me with samples.  They cause me distress.  This time, though, I took a cup of a delightful looking pink iced tea.  It was very refreshing.

Based on the pleasant sample experience, I entered the store the next time I was nearby, hoping to buy some of that lovely tea.  Things deteriorated quickly from there.

The store was busy with people who understand tea buying tea from people who understand it even better.  I became increasingly aware of the sensation that I fit into neither of those categories.

There was a huge wall of tea.  I think I spotted the right one.  It contained Goji berries.  The staff was busy though and, while they greeted me and I could tell they wanted to help me, I had to wait.  I couldn't wait and look like I knew what I was doing.  I had no clue what I was doing.  So I stood and fretted over the concerns that were popping up in my mind.

I didn't know how much tea to order.  I wasn't sure it was the right flavour.  I didn't know what had happened to the nice woman with the samples and the pretty pink drinks.  I realized it would be loose leaf tea I'd be buying.  What would I do with loose leaf tea?  Would I need an infuser?  A diffuser?  My kettle blew up last week - even boiling water is more of an issue here than usual.  How complicated was this going to get?

I didn't want to seem impatient but I felt out of my league.  I left the store.  I was sad.

I know that it doesn't really matter whether I can manage to buy tea or not but wow, things can get complicated.  There are simpler ways to buy tea but maybe not to buy Goji-berry flavoured tea.  Perhaps I should stick to coffee.  I love coffee and, while we've had some home-grinding catastrophes and some really bad flavour experiences, I have the know-how to buy and make coffee.  I don't think I want to return to school to learn how to buy tea.

JAHD