Cultural Differences

It never ceases to amaze me, some of the cultural differences between the UK and the US. One weird one is the almost acceptance of pornography over here. Magazines aren't hidden, blacked out or in a bag on the newsstand. Many times, they are front and center. And, to top it off, there are actually newspapers with pornography in them! I think this is quite degrading to women.

Needless to say, pornography does turn up at Starbucks once in a while. We have a basket where people can toss their old newspapers and magazines for others to enjoy and both pornographic newspapers and magazines have turned up in there. I personally find this completely unacceptable. I even find it unacceptable for people to look at that kind of garbage at a place like Starbucks. But, I guess that is just my opinion.

There is a guy who frequents my store every day. And every day he has one of his special newspapers with him. He is kind of dirty looking, in his 30s. Ian thinks there is something wrong with him, but that isn't the point. He has been caught by various workers with his hand down his pants...no joke! So recently, he came up to the counter, ordered a drink and when he went to pay, there was a pubic hair included in the money he handed the girl at the register! And, I kid you not, this is true. Now none of us want to take money directly from him. We try to get him to put it on the counter first. It is just totally gross. We work at a coffee shop for Pete's sake! We shouldn't have to deal with things like this!

I think I can say this with confidence...

Only in the UK!