The text of the sign reads:
Help Escape during this time of Economic Crisis
Invest in the Community by Donating to Escape
Checks can be written to: Escape Java Joint
Never in my life have I seen a business openly beg for donations to stay afloat. There were definitely fewer customers around, but I think that's in part due to their new wifi policy: when you buy something, you can get a password good for two hours of wifi use. Normally, there's a room full of people on laptops. Today, only a couple. It's most likely that the people not there were the ones who weren't buying anything anyhow, but it was still a significant decrease.
There are four hip, urban coffee shops within a few blocks of my apartment. This economy can't support all of them. I'm really hoping that if someone goes, it's the place on the corner, Mother Fool's. It's Vegan, so all their bakery is made without dairy (even though you can get cream for your coffee...) and tastes horrible. Their scones are mealy paste. I rarely carry cash, and they don't take credit cards. This means that nine times out of ten I can't buy anything from them anyway. No credit cards? Seriously? What is this, 1974?
After we left Escape, Megan and her friend walked down the street to a great little restaurant called Bab's French Quarter Kitchen. They were planning to get a snack and have a couple beers. I ducked back into the apartment so Megan could have some "girl time" with her friend--but mostly because I wasn't hungry.
A few minutes after I'd taken off my shoes and jacket, Megan called my phone. Bab's was closing at 3pm today... and never opening again. If I wanted anything off their menu, this was the last time I'd ever be able to get it. Their pastalaya, a jambalaya made with pasta, was delicious. I figured I could get it to go and have it for lunch tomorrow one more time.
I hit the street again, and walked in and sat down. By the time I got there, the kitchen had closed.
