Missouri seems to be one hostile state to barefooting. You are probably aware that a family was ejected from a Burger King last year because their 6-month old baby was barefoot! The manager insisted that shoes were required (by law) and kicked them out! I happen to be staying with a friend in St. Louis who was actually with that family at the time it happened.
Sadly, it seems that few have learned much from that incident. I saw signs like "shirt and shoes required by state law" at several places today (I have the letter disproving that) and heard some truly horrific stories from fellow barefooters who live in the Show Me state. I even had a rather nasty experience myself in a store. I'm sorry to my friends who live here, but all I can say is, "Garmin... Show Me the way out of Missouri."
Missouri *used* to be barefoot-friendly, but something happened in the early 1990s. Not sure what, but one would think that Show-Me Staters would be open to the message of "The Barefoot Book." Let's hope so, anyway!
ReplyDeleteMove to the east coast. Very few problems here. NY, NJ, coastal states down to Florida. Move into or near a beach town and you will see a few others going barefoot into stores and such at least occasionally. I hear that New England and the Midwest are the least barefoot tolerant.
ReplyDeleteI live in Missouri and I agree it's a pretty bad place to be barefoot. One day I was walking outside barefoot and a guy threatened to knock my teeth down my throat because I was barefoot and I shouldn't be. I've even had people who are packs a day chain smokers telling me it's bad to be barefoot.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad really.
Hiya Prof, just came across your website. Love it! I live in MO, and yes, there are a lot of places that ask me to leave when I come in. I've learned to carry a pair of flip flops with me at all times, because often, all I have to do is pull them out and slip them on, and I can go on unhassled. Plus, if I am seated, I take the damn things off anyway. I have been able to get by in warm weather with my barefoot sandals on occasion, but sometimes they actually draw more attention to the fact that I have no shoes on. The only time I totally cannot get away with it is during winter. I have a paif of vibrams I use for that purpose, and only wear them when I leave the house. Thanks for this great site and hope to see more posts!
ReplyDeleteI am in west central MO and have very few problems with the shoe police. Usually just the grins and curious looks from people. I usually don't barefoot in restaurants, though. I don't think the folks here would put up with that.
ReplyDelete