Sitting in Starbucks this morning enjoying a scone and raspberry mocha. Three young black men were in line ahead of me, obviously on their inaugural visit to Starbucks. They are clearly flustered - if not completely befuddled - by the menu lexicon and options.
I want so badly to ask them why? Why visit Starbucks now? What has driven them here? For me and my social circle, it's no more out of the ordinary (more ordinary, in fact) than going to McDonald's. But for them, here in their late 20s, to be making their first venture into this world...
Is there a girl in the mix (as there often is, when considering out-of-the-ordinary male behavior)? Does she drink Starbucks and he has to find out what it's all about? To try it himself before bringing her here, so as not to embarrass himself?
Is it a socio-economic thing? Is there a sense that visiting this establishment indicates, even on a subconscious level, that they are climbing the ladder? That the American dream is working? That their lives hold more promise today than they did yesterday?
Or am I just being a pretentious prick and it's nothing more than simple curiosity?
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