for tuesdays

a blend that exists only because someone, once, on a tuesday, had a difficult one. assam for the spine of it, a thread of darjeeling for the high notes, and an underline of something like cardamom which may or may not be cardamom. the recipe is in the kitchen drawer, written in pencil, mostly crossed out.

strict in its day. attempted on a sunday it tastes wrong, as if the room knows. the ritual here is the checking — of the day, of the kettle, of the watch. drunk while the morning is still deciding what it will be. the custodian has made it every tuesday for as long as anyone can remember.

if a wednesday tea is wanted, see the house. if a tuesday goes badly anyway, see the chamomile.