with a cherry on top

it's an art

form.

the late-night cup of hot chocolate.

it's a skill

hard

learned over

the years,

from being in

child pajamas to robe

and slippers

now in

my later years.

you need cold

whole milk poured

into a cup,

no need to measure,

and then a pot.

the heat is on low.

then the stirring in of

the chocolate powder

begins.

nothing weak,

or some cheap variety

of Nestle's or

Ovaltine.

no, you need the gourmet

kind.

deep and dark, a thick

powder,

almost illegal

in some parts,

from a deluxe Dutch

tin.

two tablespoons

should do the trick, stirring

slowly,

but consistently until it's

dissolved

making the brew thick.

let it boil and rise to the top,

bubbling hot,

but not

allowing it to overflow.

then you

pour it into a mug with the picture

of a dog

on the front,

you blow on the rim

before covering it with 

shaken whipped

cream,

and at last,

without the stem, you drop

a cherry on top.

at this point

you sit back in your

easy chair, and the sipping

carefully begins.