An Alienated Demographic On The Day Before

Several weeks ago a good song I didn't recognize was playing on the sound system at a local place I patronize for early dinners - this is not a sports bar. I asked the barmaid if she recognized the song. She did not but used the remote and quickly located the music station playing which then displayed both the song title and artist on one of the fifteen TV screens. So far, so good - a new song for me to add to my I-tunes library.

Then I innocently asked the barmaid if she could leave that music station displayed just for the few remaining minutes I'd be there in case another good but unknown song played. She replied politely that her orders were all TVs had to always be playing sports. This innocuous exchange stuck with me and later re-played in my mind several times before dissipating. Then this past week I was in NYC a few times, exposed to Super Bowl gridlock, and that exchange at my local place returned.  

Does a request for one TV out of fifteen to show something aside from sports for perhaps ten minutes strike you as unreasonable? Given my proclivities, I long ago gave up on the idea of being anyone's target demographic. I don't enjoy shopping. I'm 64 years old. I'm uninterested in professional sports, cars, tools, hair and other enhancement or Cialis. But a thread connecting that exchange from weeks ago and the atmosphere in NYC this past week feels a little like alienation.