Last night my wife Erin had a few girl friends over to watch the Oscars. I, out of a sense of self-preservation, did the only thing I could do - I got the heck out of the house for a few hours. I grabbed my laptop and headed to my parent's place for dinner and for a visit.
After dinner my dad, the good Icelander that he is, offered me a cup of coffee, which I was about to accept when it occurred to me to ask whether it was Fair Trade coffee or not. Here's how that conversation went:
Me: Is it Fair Trade Coffee?
Dad: No - I've got Edwards and Nabob.
Me: What do you mean you have no Fair Trade coffee (mock indignation in my voice)
Dad: No fair trade coffee son.
Me: I'm talking the Fair Trade One Month Challenge...I can't drink any of that swill. Only Fair Trade
Dad: Well I guess you're S.O.L. now aren't you? (he didn't use the acronym)
Me: I suppose so. You know dad, you've worked really hard all of your life, scrimped and saved and now you've retired. I think you deserve to splurge a little bit on yourself and get the good stuff. You love coffee - why don't spend the extra couple of bucks a pound and buy high-quality Fair Trade coffee?
Dad: What, are you making commission?
Me: No - but that's the point. Cut out the middle men, get more of the price into the hands of the producers. Come on dad, it would only cost you and extra Nicol a cup.
Okay, so I didn't say the last sentence....but it was added for dramatic purposes upon suggested by my friend Zack...he's so Punny.
I'm going to make my dad watch "Black Gold" - a documentary on Fair Trade and the coffee industry. I've figured out my goal for this challenge. With only a couple of weeks left...I'm going to convert my dad the coffee addict into my dad a Fair Trade coffee addict.
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