Yesterday it was 65 degrees here and I did not have to work, I ran a few errands in my barefeet since the weather was so nice. I went to a local coffee shop to get a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. I was the only customer in the shop, I ordered my coffee and went to a table, the girl working the counter then noticed that I was shoeless and asked me where my shoes were? I replied at home. I thought she was going to ask me to leave, but instead she replied that if I was barefoot, she was not going to put her shoes back on either, at that point she stepped from behind the counter to start organizing the table I looked down and noticed she was barefoot. She said that they often get barefoot customers and they do not mind. She also said she rarely wears shoes when behind the counter.
That's awesome! I think I need to be much bolder with my "barefootism!" I usually have my 100% hemp sandals on from Nomadic State Of Mind so I'm almost there.
Cool experience ohiodel! Yeah, when I have work to do outside of the office, I always pop over to Starbucks or Tullys around here, and they never complain when I set up in the corner on my laptop and slip my flip flops off under the table. I've even had a few instances of the young women working there coming around to pick up trash or clean the tables, and they usually smile at me when they see that I'm relaxed in my bare feet. I'm sure they are somewhat envious, having to be at a job that requires them to stand the entire time.
It's always very cool to find an establishment where the employees not only don't have issues with bare feet, but are barefooters themselves! I have yet to have an issue at any coffee shop in the world; they seem to be rather tolerant places by nature...
Hmm, there is this bohemian coffee shop in town where I've been going barefoot into for almost 15 years now without any trouble. They know me there and treat me like a friend. Strangely, however, I was in there about a month ago and the baristas chewed out another barefoot guy sitting at a table and told him to bring shoes next time and gave him the State Health Code line and embarrassed him in front of other people. I couldn't believe it. Then the barefoot guy pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, and I knew it was something he downloaded off the SBL website because he was trying to explain to the baristas that there was no such Health Code, but I just had to sit back and feel sorry for him because they just got more annoyed with him and told him that it was the cafe policy. He then came over to me trying to seek some moral support, like a wounded bird. I just told him that I was surprised they were making a fuss because they never said anything to me in 15 years. The thing I noticed, however, is that this guy had really dirty feet, tops and sides too, as if he deliberately walked through automobile grease and rubbed it all over. His clothes were dirty too, and he was kind of hanging around the cafe all day talking to random people. Still, it is unfortunate this happened because now I feel more inclined to wear flip flops into that cafe from now on. This is one reason I think it is important that us barefooters keep a good reputation with the public and present ourselves in a clean, hygenic, and respectful way.
Excellent post. I keep saying this same thing. I remove the gross-out factor when in public. If someone doesn't like my bare feet, it will have to be some other reason than dirt, because I don't allow it. This isn't just some goody-goody cleanliness thing. I really think dirty feet hurt our cause, and especially here in the US, we need all the positives we can get. Dirt always "proves" that they were "right" all along, and that bf is dirty.
Aww that is sooooo awesome !!!! Oh and great points by cool spruce and sweet dream !! I completley agree with you guys !!
