Starbucks break

Yesterday, after spending the morning in the sewing room I tried to escape the heat again. I had some work to do on my computer and though I could have turned the air conditioner on at home and worked, I opted to go to Starbucks. If I stay at home my patchwork calls to me or housecleaning (that voice isn't too loud.)

I normally have no problem with Starbucks. A sandwich is nice. They always have something refreshing or warming (depending on the season) and it feels like a treat to go and spend some time there with a book or paperwork. Yesterday was the first time I've taken my computer to the Japanese Starbucks. I know enough not to expect Starbucks in Japan to have WiFi. That's why I figured I could take my computer and not get waylaid reading blogs.

Settle down with a sandwich and a cool Yuzu Frappuccino (yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit). Yum. Spend about an hour and a half doing what I had to do on the computer. Ah. The battery is running low.

"Excuse me. Could I use this electric outlet for my computer?"

I was sitting right next to one. The girl went away and came back a moment later.

"I'm so sorry. Customers are not allowed to use the outlets."

In a way I'm not surprised... In Japan, what isn't available for everyone isn't available for anyone (the outlet was only by my table, not any others.) On the other hand, an extra service option would have kept me there another hour and maybe sold me a cookie or pastry or something. Don't college students in America hang out at Starbucks with their computers? Is the electricity so dear in US Starbucks too?

I did NOT finish my work and came home to procrastinate...

Seems to me Starbucks could have made a little more money off of me and made me happier too.