Day 24 - We don’t do WiFi, talk to each other.

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I nearly went in to a café today that had one of those oh so hilarious signs that says. ‘We don’t do WiFi, talk to each other.’ As soon as I saw the sign I decided that my euro was best spent elsewhere and that my need for connectivity out did my need for caffeine. Now you might think that this is a little hypocritical and directly contradicts what I said yesterday and you’d be right, well half right. I absolutely agree that if you go to a café with people, then it is polite not to use your phone while sitting with them (although a quick glance while you nip to the loo is not a problem). Who hasn’t rolled their eyes at a table of people all using their phones and not talking? It is like saying that your company is okay but actually my online friends are much more interesting. So if I am with you in a café my phone, my computer and my two tablets will stay in my pocket or bag or home. But what I want is choice, the freedom to do something if I wish to. I don’t need the person who owns the café to project their misguided philistinia on to me. (Imagine a sign 20 years ago saying, no reading of books or newspapers allowed in this café, talk to each other.) To have this sign is tantamount to saying - we don’t want any single people to come into our café, only come in if you have someone to talk to. Single people take up too many tables and spend too little money. Or maybe they mean talk to strangers – well, in most places I know starting conversations with randoms, or joining in when they are talking to their friends is not going to make you very popular despite what the no wifi sign says. It’s not like your coffee is cheaper because you don’t have wifi or your staff are any friendlier. It’s just that you are using this quirky and hilarious meme to save some money and not provide a service your customers want.

If there is no wifi in the cafe you are in then maybe you could read an ebook. Please consider buying one or both of my novels. Details available here.
Or just read a free short story.