Coffee grounds

"It's amazing isn't it? How people claim to be able to see the future in the most mundane of things. Like coffee grounds. Wonder how anyone sees shit from that shit." J mused, staring at the dregs of kopi in his empty cup.

"You didn't ask me out for supper just to bemoan your future as foretold in an 80 cents cup of coffee, did you?" I replied, pushing the remnants of prata round my plate.

We were seated at one of the ubiquitous prata stalls along Jalan Kayu having just about finished supper. J had called when I was on the way home after a quick movie and dinner with SZ (incidentally, Slumdog was better than expected) and asked/demanded/begged to meet for supper.

"Supper?" J said. In that usual semi-authoritative question without an option tone of his.
"Nope. Don't you have better things to do on Valentine's Day? Besides I'm already on my way back."
"No. That's why I'm calling you." came the reply.
"Thanks ah. As usual I'm the fall back plan. Besides I'm too fat for supper." I retorted.
"Rubbish. You've been gymming so much you'll be a bag of bones soon. And no la, reallly want to meet you for supper. You should know how miserable V. day is for me."
"So, get a stud then."
"No la, come la.."
Which was roughly how the conversation went till I agreed, mainly cause I knew he was still in the dumps over his recent breakup, but not before wrangling a ride back home from J.

Neither of us being a fan of the fancy flavoured pratas, supper consisted of the conventional prata, 1 egg & kosong for J, a single kosong for yours truly and the standard kopis. Which was how we ended up talking about coffee grounds.

"Stop being a grumps. Just surprised to the extent that people will go just to attempt to have a glimpse of their future. And they might not even like what they see." J retorted.

"Hmmm someone's very philosophical tonight eh. Well, I always think it's sad if your life is set out in a cup. Or see your future in all that murk."

"Hah. Ever the cynicist. You never know."

"What, your future in a cup? Fine then, tell me what your coffee predicts is in store for you for tomorrow..no the rest of Valentine's Day. Might not have enough dregs for tomorrow's future."

"Alright." J swirls the cup then peers in.

"See those coffee bits pointing away from the main mass? It says... I'm going to fuck someone tonight." He intones.

Rolling my eyes, I replied in an equally deadpan voice. "Right, good for you then. Coffee dregs happen to tell you who that might be?"

Grinning, J looked up. "Wanna fuck tonight?"

"Is that what your coffee told you? Cause it's wrong. And for avoidance of doubt, no we're not fucking tonight."

"But it's Vday! A day to celebrate love! A day to make love!"

"All the more reason why we aren't fucking. Go call one of your special friends."

"You're one. Remember?" he prompted with that annoying 'tut tuting' sound of his.

"Says you. Well find another then. You've got lots."

"You leave me with no choice then. Gotta scroll through all one million of them" J gave a mock sigh while fishing out his hand phone.

"Though you do know you'll possibly die of aids at the rate you're plowing through the entire gay population in Singapore." I couldn't resist adding.

"Give me more credit than that. I go for quality and always take the necessary precautions. You know that." Then turning to look at me, J continued. "Did you know that you 're such a bitch?"

"Thanks" I smiled- the saccharine sweet drop dead smile. "Too bad. I'll never be your bitch."

"Ah, damn." He hit his fist in mock pity. "I'll remember to tell your future boyfriend that you enjoy being his bitch though." J added dryly.

"Fuck you." The instinctive retort.

"Yes please. For a change."

And we laughed.

People say sex is cathartic. So is the ability to engage in unadulterated heartfelt conversation with a friend, 'special' friend or otherwise, without having to worry about offending sensibilities.

And it is for that reason, that some friends are better off staying the way they are. As friends.