I have a class assignment for Creative Writing which requires me to “publish” a short piece based on one of the styles we have studied this semester. The requirement is to write something that involves the venue in which it is going to be published. I frequent a Starbucks in Burnsville, MN. It is connected to a Barnes and Noble bookstore. I thought this would be the perfect venue. I decided on meta-fiction and that I would hand it out to a few customers.
Saturday when I bought my drink I explained what I was doing. I’m in school, it’s a project, I’m not selling anything, it’s not profane or offensive. I was flatly turned down by a rather rude worker. (Maybe she hadn’t had her coffee yet?) I was disappointed to say the least. How can a corporation that relies on many students for their workforce be so callous and cold?
I sat down and had my tea and relied on my stealth to distribute a couple of sheets to some women I’d seen before. I also stashed a few and left them behind. But I didn’t get as much research as I wanted for this publishing exercise.
I think that next time I will just do what I want. I’ve heard it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission. I’m one of the dunces left in this world that still asks permission. That puts me at a distinct disadvantage. I had to get this off my chest and rant a little about Starbucks. Why doesn’t Starbucks support students?
I’ll post the assignment in my next post.
jgtwrites 
“I’m one of the dunces left in this world that still asks permission. ”
Nope, you’re not. But these days only the overtly aggressive pricks seem to get the carrot. Maybe they are not all pricks, but certainly annoying and often obnoxious. You have to find a balance between being the nice respectful person you obviously are and being a bit more forward. It does not put you at a disadvantage, the world needs more reserved people right now. People that tend to think before they act.
I am impressed with your courage to just pass your work out to strangers like that. Face to face. I mean, for me, posting to my blog is one thing, I don’t think I have the cahonees to walk into a Starbucks (especially one connected to a book store) and say “here, read this, hope you like it” and bog off. Good on you, brother.
It was nerve-racking, but it was a good experience. It keeps getting easier to hand something to somebody and say “I wrote this.” I used to be a wreck after I did it. Now I can do it and walk away and forget about it. By the way, my first major piece for class is being work-shopped this week. I get to sit and listen to 23 other people talk about my story Thursday night. It’s a draft at this point, so it’s not done. There are parts I hate and parts I love. It will be interesting to hear what they think.