It was May of 1990. Eric and I had just met in March, and it was my twentieth birthday. We were living in Los Angeles. He came to my apartment carrying a present. I opened it. He bought me a coffee maker.  I was surprised. My new boyfriend didn’t get me a necklace or earrings. He got me a kitchen appliance. In only a few weeks of dating, he had already learned the important role coffee played in my life. Of course, I thanked him, but in my mind I was wondering if things were going to work out between us. I mean, a coffee maker? Even back then the…