Coffee: The Unicorn in a dystopian world
What would you be willing to trade for the last bag you might ever come across?
What would you be willing to trade for the last bag you will ever come across?
Greetings, Roguelings!
Last week, I was at Costco and snagged some coffee. Then, I stared at the rows of it and I thought, “Harper would have something snarky to say about this.”
In Harper’s world, coffee isn’t just expensive - it might as well be a myth. So when she walks into a trading post with her tallows and heirloom seeds, ready to negotiate for a six-pound sack, she’s not just making a trade. She’s making a statement about what truly has value when the world has fallen apart. But there’s more to it than that…
It’s not even for her.
The coffee-trading scene in Land of Ash wasn’t planned but it felt like writing a warm cup of coffee in and of itself. It shows snarky, stubborn Harper in a softer light. Because she is willing to trade some of her most precious items for a rare sack of coffee to take home to her family, knowing it will MAKE THEIR YEAR.
What I love about that trading post scene is how it reveals character through commerce. Harper’s willingness to trade her most precious resources for something as “frivolous” as coffee shows how deeply she loves her family. She’s not thinking about herself - she’s imagining Ava’s face when she surprises her with real coffee they haven’t had in a decade.
The heirloom seeds Harper almost parts with? They represent hope and future, and they could even be the turning point (food or starvation) in a long winter, and she ALMOST trade them just to see her family smile.
It’s a small but precious act of love and kindness that makes Harper’s character shine. AND (not intentionally) I realized after I wrote the trading post scene how much it showcases the other character’s personalities too. They all have different priorities and items on their lists.
It also made me think about what I’d actually trade for coffee. Honestly? My weakness would probably be potato chips or something silly. Regardless, I have to wonder if Harper’s more giving than I would be.
In a land of ash where little grows, what would you be willing to trade for the only sack of coffee you’ll likely come across again?
Until next time, Roguelings!
P.S. If you’re in my Rogue Reader Community, you’ve seen some of the fun goodies I’ve posted about Land of Ash (coming August 26th! If you haven’t stopped in, be sure to join us for release week shenanigans and giveaways - https://poguegonerogue.com/
If you're in a paid member at $5+ you already receive an ebook copy of my new releases. No need to purchase! 💜
