How many times have you been enjoying a nice book, drinking a cup of coffee, or listening to tunes while on a plane or waiting at a random location for something, when an overly chatty person just interrupts you? Suddenly you find yourself wondering when you put on the large sign that said, “Come on over and bother me. Really, I have nothing else to do.”
Every time I walk out to get my daughter at the bus stop, I bring the current book I’m reading with me. I leave about 15 minutes prior to normal drop-off just in case the bus is early. This gives me time to relax and do something that I enjoy. Today, I started Patrick Rothfus’ “The Name of the Wind.” For any of you who have read the book, even the beginning sucks you in. I was thoroughly engrossed in the tale, when a shadow blocked my reading light.
“What cha readin?” She asked as she touched my book, bending down in a disfigured posture trying to get a glimpse of the cover.
Repulsed but polite, I answered.
“Oh. I just finished “Wicked”. It was okay. Not my favorite top ten book, but the ending was nice. I found it to be a little difficult to read. I liked the way the author….” she hastily continued, blabbing on about the ending of a book I have yet to read.
“That’s nice.” Again, I kept my composure. My hungry eyes drift down to words as I try to get back into the story, but the woman pressed on; oblivious to anything but her own life story.
“I won’t let my 12 year old daughter read that book.”
I nodded.
“Yeah, I have such a great relationship with my daughter.”
You see, this is not the first time this has happened to me. The bus stop is on a long side walk. I purposely try to seat myself further and further up on the concrete each time but she crosses the distance, regardless.
“She once brought me this book and said there were ‘icky’ parts.”
*sighs*
I normally have the patience of a saint, but I do have my limits. If you monopolize conversations after interrupting my enjoyable activity with your blathers about your life, they better be at least remotely interesting. As you can so far tell from this blog post, I get more enlightenment from an episode of Maury Povich. (and I don’t even watch the show)
Trying to give her the one last hint to stop bothering me, I took my cell phone out of my pocket and repeatedly checked the time. Alas, twas to no avail. She continued to talk even as the bus pulled up and I once again shifted my focus. She then found it prudent to continue the one way lecture by following my daughter and me home with her own child in tow.
I’m not a hateful person. I love engaging two-sided, interesting conversations. Yet, continually interrupting me repeatedly with intensely personal stories best saved for people you actually know, tends to get on my nerves. I’ve been brought up to respect people, and I would never approach someone who was busy enjoying other things. So what makes it acceptable to her?
Bah. Maybe I just expect more out of people.
Like intelligence.
