When I was 15 or 16, I had some friends over for a sleepover, and we were determined to stay up all night. So, I sneaked into my mom’s coffee stash and made a terrible cup. I took one sip and swore I’d never touch the stuff again. I thought, “If this is what adults drink, no wonder they’re always in a bad mood!”
Fast forward a few years, and I’m deep into my studies, working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting. One late night, some colleagues of mine and I were struggling to memorize our lines for a scene we were preparing for. We were exhausted and nowhere near getting our lines down. So, we did what any desperate group of actors would do: We hit up a diner.
It was 1 a.m., and everyone was wide awake! Their secret? Coffee. So, I decided to give it another shot — this time with enough sugar to turn the coffee into a dessert. And wow! I found myself reorganizing the condiment rack alphabetically and reciting Shakespeare as if it were a new form of Karaoke.
I was hooked. Suddenly, I was getting so much done that I felt like I could outwork an office full of over-caffeinated squirrels on a deadline. It didn’t take long before I drank it without sugar, savoring it black.
But coffee wasn’t my first encounter with caffeine. As Michael Pollan points out in his book “Caffeine,” it’s “the most used drug in the world” — one we even give to children in the form of chocolate and soda. Looking back, it’s like some of us were in training for the Olympics of sleeplessness. Forget nap time; we were buzzing around like tiny, sugar-fueled tornadoes.
Although coffee was a game changer, I quickly learned that too much can wreak havoc on your nerves. I once showed up to an audition on the Warner Brothers lot so hyped up on caffeine that I was visibly shaking and trembling as I delivered my lines like I was on edge. I looked like I was auditioning for a role as a malfunctioning robot.
I was listening to an interview with Pollan when he mentioned that he believed caffeine was a driving force behind the industrial revolution. When I heard that, I nearly fell out of my seat— but let’s be honest, with that much coffee in me, I could’ve just floated back up like a helium balloon.
Almost 400 years ago, England first gained access to tea, coffee, and chocolate—all containing caffeine. Before caffeine arrived in England, people drank alcohol like it was water — because, well, the water was practically a biohazard. Folks were tipsy 24/7, which explains why historical portraits always look blurry.
With the introduction of caffeine, everything began to change. Suddenly, people had a stimulant that sharpened their focus and kept them alert instead of stumbling through life like they were constantly trying to find their keys. The original “wake-up call” that made humanity realize showing up to work was a good idea after all.
As the centuries rolled on, caffeine’s influence only grew stronger. Coffeehouses became hubs of intellectual exchange, where thinkers, writers and revolutionaries gathered to discuss ideas and plan societal shifts. The industrial revolution might have sparked progress, but the real breakthrough was making sure nobody nodded off in the middle of it.
Fast forward to today, and coffee isn’t just a drink but a survival tool. With a coffee shop on nearly every corner, you could trip and land in a latte. This once-exotic drink has become so essential that if coffee ran for president, it would win by a landslide. Coffee is the lifeblood of productivity. It’s the only thing keeping America awake — and let’s be honest, it’s doing a better job than Congress.
Looking back, it’s funny that my first encounter with coffee was a disaster. What started as a terrible sip from my mom’s stash evolved into a lifelong appreciation for the drink that fuels so much of what we do.
So here’s to coffee — it’s the adult version of a juice box, but with way more anxiety, and the fuel drives our passions and keeps us going through every grind — whether in the cup or in life.
Toby Moore is a columnist, star of the Emmy-nominated film “A Separate Peace,” and CEO of CubeStream Inc. He resides in Bourbonnais and can be reached through the Daily Journal at [email protected].
