So I am going to try a full post today. It is Manic Monday after all. Today's subject is a local problem. Up here in Washington state, we love our coffee. With good reason, it is cloudy (I'd say rainy, but it really doesn't rain that much, just a lot of drizzle and no sun) and miserable for most of the year so we need our coffee to keep ourselves going. To recognize this fact, all you have to do is pay attention to your morning drive and you will notice coffee stands all along the road, and most of them drive through. I have around 12 drive through stands within the first 3 miles of my morning commute.
So it is no wonder that they have to find something to make themselves competitive with the other nearby stands. Some are cheap and others are really good. The ones I want to talk about are the ones that sprang up a couple years ago. They started as bikini stands. Stands where the girls wore bikinis to serve you. Bikinis are worn everywhere so no one had a problem with these stands. Then a second one opened and they started competing. At first it was prices, then they started pushing boundaries. Now, they have become a hot point. Why? The baristas are wearing practically nothing. They wear the smallest panties they can and only stickers covering the nipple area as they serve coffee. I understand that, in today's society, this may be an acceptable way of doing business. While I don't agree with it, I understand they have a right to do business the way they want, but I won't give them my business.
No, my problem is that they are infringing on my rights as a parent. How are they doing that you ask? These stands are drive through and thus up against major roads. The nature of the business requires that they have windows so they can serve their customers and peddle their wares, so to speak. The problem is, they have very little in the way to block the view through the window from the road, and nothing to stop someone, no matter the age, from standing on the side of the road and getting an eyeful. Thus, in order for me to keep from having to tell my boys why the lady is naked in that window, I either have to go miles out of my way, or find some way to distract them as we drive by.
Luckily, my boys are not old enough to drive yet so I don't have to worry about them going through the drive thru as there is nothing to stop anyone underage from frequenting the place. You see, if these places stay the way they are, I will have to have the talk with my boys long before I am ready. I will also have to worry about on more place that they can go that I don't approve. While I wouldn't be upset if these places close, I understand that in today's society they have a right to exist. All I want is for them to completely block the view from the road and control access. Put someone at the entrance to check ID before they can see in and only allow those of age to drive through. That's all I can reasonably ask for.
I could cite instances of these places doing more than serving coffee and being busted for prostitution and other such things, but I also understand that not all of these stands do that. I also understand that, while I don't like these places, there are those that do. I also understand that the women work there of their own free will and choose to do so. This isn't about me pushing my morals on them. In fact, what is happening is they are pushing theirs on me. They claim that it is their right to parade themselves that way and that my attitude offends them. Apparently, I am not allowed to be offended as I am a Christian and have to turn the other cheek. Apparently, if I tell you I am offended by something and offer a reasonable solution, I am pushing my morals on you and by not allowing you to expose yourself to my children, I am somehow oppressing you. Sorry, I just don't see it.
The reason I decided to write this is this. Last week I saw an article where one of these places was busted for lewd conduct. They had a stripper pole installed in it and they video taped one of the ladies (I use the term loosely) dancing on the pole from across the street. If they can tape it from across the street, what is stopping a child from seeing in the window as his mother drives by? That isn't what upset me the most though. It was the comments that followed. By and large, there was a large contingent that was upset that the police bothered to enforce the law and they actually defended these places by using the arguments I mentioned above. No condemnation of the actions of the baristas, just outrage that the police would actually take the time to enforce the law on these places. It is what it is. Luckily, my area is taking action to define what is to be done. Hearings are being held and we are trying to do something about it. I can't make them put on clothes, but I hope we can make them block the view and control access. Let those that want to frequent these places do so, and let those of us that don't, well, let us not see them.
Thank you for sticking it out and being patient with me. May you have a wonderful day.
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