I looked more closely at more real estate listings. One house in nine is under foreclosure, yet the billboards are still trying to sell $500,000 “investment” homes. I pulled up 7 houses for sale for less than $30,000 within a ten mile radius of here. That’s the power of the Internet. Don’t we all love the way computers have simplified things? I mean, at least the things we don’t care for. (Credit reports, publishing your high-school marks on the Internet, and that outstanding speeding ticket from Vermont back in 1985 which escalated to a bench warrant.) Cowboy Mike was in today, who admits he has no patience with the way software works. He wanted a CD burned and I’d earlier asked if he had the tracks ready. He said he did. However, there was bad distortion on one of the tracks. It gave a growling sound on playback in his truck. Now you know why recording studios want so much money to make you sound right. The problem was with compression. That is also the reason that technicians like the band to lay down all their tracks in one long session.
This morning had some grand lightning strikes, one of which shook me wide awake. Wallace was around a mile away and says the report actually rattled his shirt. Peggy called. She had young Bill over for eats and they obviously get along. It will be a task to get the 25 bachelors motivated.
The bachelor thing does get me thinking. Women always seem to complain that there is no place to meet men and I believe them. (I also believe if there was such a place, the women would go there and play hard to get.) Men go out to meet their friends on neutral territory. Bars, pool halls and such. Years ago I heard of a plan to make restaurants “senior friendly”, with rocking chairs and a picket fence. But that is decoration because few places men already don’t have such frills.
What is the answer? Wallace and I agree, all this town needs is a good 50 cent cup of coffee. Outfits like Starbucks can be damn intimidating to seniors who think it is a coffee shop. Outrageous prices, bewildering selections and at least three sizes of cups. Did you ever have to read their overhead menus to find what you want is in tiny print in the lower right hand corner. Tell me that’s not sales pressure. The place is also staffed by dropouts who waste your time asking if you have a “Border’s Card”, like if you did you wouldn’t already have it out.
Locally, the Panera comes closest in the seniors regard. Wallace hangs out there. But it still has a production line feel to it. The line-ups can be horrendous for the cashiers have to double up as muffin servers and bagel toasters. Also, the seating is clearly designed (like Denny’s is heading) to discourage singles. There is no real coffee shop feel to it. The few places that still have counters and stools in this town for one reason or another are unacceptable. Ricki’s in Hollywood, for example. When you sit down, they find some reason to interrupt you every few minutes and the only way to make them go away is to order a meal. But when you want your free refill, where the hell is she?
The final factor is the rent. It is understood the first dollar for every cup served goes to pay the confiscatory rents. If a low enough rent could be found, that would make a world of difference. Don’t despair, for I’ve noticed when real estate prices drop, rents also sink nearly as fast. The other side of that coin is what I saw in Canada when I worked there. Landlords who would rather let a property go to rack and ruin over the years rather than lower the rent even a penny.
Yes, my Internet operation is the lowest price in town. My soda is 50 cents. And I would love to put a good coffee machine in there. But I also know that there is absolutely no way I will ever get such a prime location for the rent I pay. Once that shop closes, I’m out of business instantly.
