Lawrence.com

TOWNIE GUIDE TO...Fiendish Coffee Addiction

Bob Borowiecki, 22, professional caffeinator

Years In Lawrence: 4

I've been into coffee pretty much since my freshman year of high school, when I would stop off and get coffee before school. Then I got into espresso, and it was all downhill from there.

Where's the best place in Lawrence to feed your jones?

I would say Henry's easily, because of the company, the atmosphere and the employees - I've never gotten a bad cup of coffee here. If I were looking for the best cup of coffee in town, if I just wanted to stop at a place quickly and I wanted the best cup, then Z's Divine Espresso. I think they have the best espresso in town. They have roasters and stuff.

Is Lawrence such a coffee-friendly town that it enables your addiction?

Yeah, it's a college town. If you're not a pill popper then you have to get coffee. We're all procrastinators, we're all lazy and we all drink too much, so we've got to find a pick-me-up somewhere.

Does coffee go hand-in-hand with other chemical addictions?

With cigarettes definitely. I definitely want to drink coffee after a heavy night of drinking. That always makes me feel better.

At what time of day do you start drinking coffee?

Usually two hours after I get up. I never really stop drinking coffee after that. I have lots of it at home. If I'm poor I'll just make coffee at home, but I like going to a coffee shop and talking and smoking and enjoying the weather.

You don't have a cut-off point?

No, especially if I'm tired and I want to go out. I'll drink coffee before going out at night and drinking. I am an addict. Any time, all the time. Gotta feed the monkey on my back, otherwise I get a headache.

At what point does your bladder give out?

I've got a small bladder so I go to the bathroom all the time. I think it's both my small bladder and all of the coffee, but it doesn't really matter because I'm constantly drinking coffee. I don't have to worry about breaking the seal because I'm just going to pop more in. If I could get an I.V. drip I would. I've actually got caffeine pills in my car for when I drive cross country.