By the time Birdie and I stumbled on the Kansas University on-campus Milton's Coffee, I was desperate for ordinary, plain-brewed iced tea. That wasn't available. So I settled for a canned Coca-Cola, along with an extra cup of ice so Birdie and I could split.
"Are you a KU student?" I asked the cashier.
"No," he said.
"I'm a student," said the older guy behind the counter. "Are you looking at KU?"
"Yes," I said, "But I'm not sure enough money will come through as we are out of state."
"Move to Kansas," he advised Birdie. "Work awhile. Then KU will give you plenty of money."
"I graduated in May," said the cashier. "I got a lot of scholarship help."
"How'd you get your scholarship?" I asked.
"I'm in-state and had good grades," he said, then added, "I majored in English. A lot of my friends aren't as lucky. They majored in other stuff, graduated owing a lot of money and work for corporations. They aren't happy and they make a lot less money than I do."
"So what do you think about while you make coffee all day?" I asked.
He paused, then smiled and said, "Mostly, I think about coffee."
I forgot to tip him. I don't know if he noticed. There's a lot of wisdom at Milton's Coffee: If you want to go to school, find a way to do it even if it takes longer. Consider in-state, even if you need to earn the privilege. And, if you love your major and avoid debt-overload, you can brew a perfect cup of coffee.
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