[Work] Cocoa

So, I've been buying cocoa mix to take to work, because I like to use cocoa instead of sugar in my coffee. Also, I was kind of hoping that the taste would catch on around the office, and they would start buying the cocoa out of the office fund that I have to pay into.

Well, this has been going on for about a year, and I'd pretty much given up hope of anyone else buying it (although, everyone else USES it). Until last week...

We ran out of instant coffee, which was a bit frustrating to me, as I had brought in a new bag of cocoa and had nothing to mix it with. I couldn't drink plain cocoa... or could I? No, no I couldn't.

Luckily for me, one of the other teachers came in and saw my predicament. Now, a widely known 'secret' is that everyone in Japan can actually speak a little English. This particular teacher hadn't spoken to me before, but it still didn't surprise me when she told me, in English, where the instant coffee was stored.

Where is the instant coffee stored, you ask? In the cupboard with the cocoa, of course!

How long have they been buying cocoa? Well, it's hard to tell, since they've never had to use theirs, since I kept bringing in new bags whenever the old one went empty. All this time, and I never knew.

But that's not why I'm writing today.

I just got out of my first class, and wanted to have a cup of coffee (since there wasn't time beforehand). Not much left in the pot, but enough for one cup maybe. But...where is my cocoa?

I =know= I bought a new bag last week. It can't be gone already, and yet it is nowhere to be found. Had someone taken it? That seems to happen sometimes, but not very often. Had someone put it away with the other cocoa? I check, but there are no open bags in the cupboard.

And then, I spotted something...on the table was a new bag of 'cocoa', specifically some kind of 'healthy' Black Soybean Cocoa. Unable to find my regular cocoa, but still wanting a cup of coffee, I grabbed a couple spoonfuls and... by the time my lost cocoa ordeal was done, someone else had come and taken the last bit of coffee in the pot.^*

I see. It's going to be one of those days.

And, if you're wondering how Black Soybean Cocoa tastes, well, you might be surprised, assuming you've suffered some sort of critical brain damage. Otherwise, it tastes exactly how you'd think it would. Maybe a little worse.

UPDATE: My god...what have I done?

Well, remember two hours ago when I was talking about the Black Soybean Cocoa? Well, it was a nearly full bag then. Now, it's empty.

It's not even lunchtime yet. At this rate, they can probably go through two or three bags a day.

*I was reminded of the "Terry's World" commercial for Reebok^**. Remember that? "You kill the joe, you make some mo'!" I need Terry Tate for my office.

**I had a better link to all the videos, and deleted it a few days ago because I didn't think I'd ever need it! D'OH!