"Believe it or not, I used to eat those by the handful when I needed a caffeine boost and didn't have time to wait. Roasted, I mean, not deep fried," he clarifies, as if it makes a difference. "Is it more crunchy than usual?"

The questions he finds himself asking, sometimes. Beacon, why. He almost sounds hopeful, though, as he imagines a coffee bean with the texture of, say, popcorn.