Man, 37, Hits On Teen Barista, Starbucks Bans Him

A 37-year-old man claims he was banned from a Starbucks after he asked a 16-year-old barista out to dinner, KREM reports. Now, the man is accusing the Spokane, Wash., shop of ageism. The man (whom the station opted not to identify) writes on Facebook that he scribbled a note to the the teen last week asking her to dinner. "I was flirted with by a barista. For some reason she thought I was funny,” he writes, adding he knew she was of legal dating age. When he went back the next day, he says a police officer told him to leave. The move drew hoots of approval on the shop's Facebook page from people who called the man a "creep" and worse. "Sick, depraved and a danger to the well being of our children, his belief is nothing short of pedophilia," one woman writes.

The man asked his Facebook fans to rally around him in a post that was racking up likes and was shared more than 4,500 times. "I broke no law," he insists. "I merely took a chance with my heart. I’m tired of hearing the word ‘creep’ as any black person or gay person is tired of hearing certain words. I have a whole webpage dedicated to age gap love." A Starbucks rep tells KREM, "We have no tolerance for any such inappropriate behavior or harassment," and local cops said the shop had the right to refuse service to anyone. (Starbucks lets baristas express themselves this way.)