The Epitome of Absurdity

I've seen absurdity in many forms, but I think it has now taken the cake.

In my past I have witnessed a man run the entire NY marathon with one hand holding up a tray of martini glasses. I saw a gentleman in the Chicago Marathon run a sub-3:30, all the while dressed in a full cow costume (the damn heffer passed me at mile 13. it was completely humiliating.)

I've seen unfriendly people anger and annoy others ad infinitum, yet still get promoted to President and other senior roles of very large, public organizations. I saw every record company in America pass on the opportunity to release Alanis Morisette's first album, except the one person nobody in the business had any respect for.

I saw the Boston Red Sox win a World Series.
Will wonders never cease.

But all of that pales in comparison to what I have seen today.

I live right off of a street in Santa Monica that is known for it's coffee shops and expensive boutiques. My mother once walked down the street and counted. Ten coffee shops in eight blocks. I'd like her to come back and count again.

The eight blocks of coffee shops are kept snuggled in place by Starbucks bookends. There is a Starbucks on 7th street and not but 8 blocks away, another Starbucks on 15th. How can they possibly open two stores so close together? I know, I've asked the same thing myself.

But all of that has changed. As of this month, there are now two new coffee shops in town: A Starbucks. And another Starbucks.

What I'm trying to tell you is that within an eight block span, we have four Starbucks. As if that's not absurd enough, there are now three Starbucks in three blocks.

The 7th Street Starbucks, 8th Street Starbucks, and 9th Street Starbucks.

The moment you walk out of one Starbucks and look across the street, you feel as if your eyes are deceiving you. It's a Starbucks, you might say. Oh look, and there is yet another. A Starbucks, across from a Starbucks, across from a Starbucks.

And that, my friend, is the epitome of absurdity.