Our hands brushed as you gave me a paper cup of tea, and they had the same texture as mine. Are they too slathered with Burt�s Bees, Paul Penders, or Kiss My Face�s cruelty-free products?

You went about your sales pitch, but your gaze returned to mine as each potential customer passed.

Me in my animal-friendly faux leather loafers and you in your bare feet, we discussed the benefits of fair trade with a region�s indigenous people.

The warm breeze tussled our free-flowing hair and whispered, �We belong together.�

We�d pick berries for breakfast and drink water from its source.

We�d swim naked and let our circadian rhythms determine when we started our days.

We�d make love in the rainforest canopy, our hemp hammock high above the uncharted ground.

We�d revel in the simplicity of our lives, knowing that no 401K or Roth IRA could bring us this sort of happiness.

Alas, I carry a laptop and write web pages that tell people how to better do their jobs while you drive a multicolored van and hand out herbal tea samples in front of Whole Foods.

I may wear GAP, but I�m on your wavelength. I love you hippie tea man. Thank you for my free sample. �