(no subject)

[andrew_jorgensen]

The reason I prefer Caribou Coffee over its dominant competitor, Starbucks, has nothing to do with politics and little to do with aesthetics (but who gives a fuck about a goddamn Grammy?), and much to do with the fact that Caribou will knock ten cents off of my order if I can correctly answer a trivia question. It's like appearing on a very tiny game show, and it's one of the definite though small pleasures of my day. Today, however, I looked up at the chalkboard and was shocked to read the following:

February is Black History Month!
Trivia -10¢
What is the name of the slave with whom Thomas Jefferson had an affair & produced children?

I thought this was in spectacularly poor taste. As a trivia question, it's fine; as a Black History Month trivia question, it's a bit insensitive. But I bit my tongue and answered -- and then tried to stay polite while enduring the barrista's congratulations for being the first person all day to answer correctly.

Ten cents is ten cents! My soul will grow back tomorrow.