Addiction

That word right there? Addition? That's the reason why I usually don't buy small cups of warm beverages that cost $4 each. I'd be broke in no time.

So, yeah, I tend to do a good job at staying away, but evvvvvery once in a while, I get to fiending for just a lil taste and then I find myself in that place. You know the one.

When you're impatiently waiting in a line that wraps around the building.

When you're blocking traffic on a major thoroughfare trying to get to the drive through.

When you're scrounging for change on the floor of the car - and even in the sticky cup holder too - and are all, "How much is that with tax, again?"

When it seems perfectly logical to pay as much for 12 ounces of liquid as you do for a gallon of milk.

For me, this all started (again) on Saturday when the phamilies went to a local cafe and the sign said "pumpkin blah blah blah." I am a sucka for "pumpkin" anything so everything after that was just gravy (pumpkin gravy?). Oh, and these? Are so getting made soon.

But I digress.

So, I want the pumpkin latte, it appears. And they're out. Seriously? You dangle pumpkin goodness in front of me and then yank it back? A single tear fell as the barista came from behind the counter with her yellow chalk and wrote, every so deliberately, S-O-L-D-O-U-T.

Ack.

I tried again at the airport (different place, same drink), but I feared that I would miss my flight while waiting in the very long line (were they all fiending too?), so I walked to my gate.

Glory be! Another kiosk.

"Wait. Don't get too excited. This place is smaller than the other one. They probably don't have it," I told myself. But, ahhh, there it was, in the special placed reserved for seasonal favorites. Another long line, but this one was within sight of my gate so I waited. To pass the time, I read Cake Wrecks on my Blackberry and laughed like "the crazy lady in the coffee line."

Don't act like you've never seen her.

So, I'm in line and...

Raise your hands if you know where this is going.

But...but why?

"Can I get something started for you today?" asked the young woman with the cup in one hand and a black marker in the other.

Me: "Small, uh, oh, grande, um, pumkin. I want pumpkin."

Her: "Oh. We don't have that."

Rest of long line: "Grumble, grumble, crazy lady, grumble, MOVE."

Something catches my eye. "That salted caramel hot chocolate. Do I even want that?"

Her: "Mmhm, it's good."

I'm not convinced.

Do I walk away and forget I was ever here? Do I? DO I?

"Ok, I'll take it."
...
...
...

Glory be some more! Oh! Does Sprinkles make salted caramel cupcakes? Who came up with that idea? And how? Eh, who cares! Just give me more of the salty sweet goodness.

Sigh.