“Wow, that never even occurred to me! Do you do that? Why? What do you get out of it, just enjoying grossing people out? That’s amazing! Man, it takes all kinds, doesn’t it?”
I’ve been told that it was rude of me not to join the conversation; which was mostly gossip about people I didn’t know.
– many years later, it suddenly occurs to me: were they thinking of proper manners at family dinners, or meals with invited guests? Quite a lot of people think it’s rude to read at such meals; but it never occured to me to think of lunch in the break room as in the same category.
Have they asked you what church you go to yet? 
Cat got your tongue? 
And your balls.
Yep, but then it’s their turn to be shocked. 
If you had your face in a book and didn’t acknowledge my presence, I’d leave you alone. But i strongly prefer eating with other people, and I’m sure I’d have tried to draw you into conversation at least once or twice.
Why? Seriously. I’d never approach someone reading who didn’t acknowledge me first…unless they were on fire or something. I guess I don’t understand the personality type that just has to socialize. I’d wait for a cue from the reader, otherwise I wouldn’t approach them.
If everyone in the room was gathered around a table and invited me in, sure, I’ll join in.
When I’m sitting by myself in the corner of the break room, all alone, and you come in and interrupt my reading not so much.
I don’t understand this comment. I just said:
I did NOT say I would pester her. But you know, even people who like to be alone don’t have their nose in their book all the time. They might have looked up to check the time just as I walked in the room, and I misunderstood the intent. I’m sure things like that would have happened a few times had I been working with Broomstick for any length of time.
Sorry. I was confused. First, you said you wouldn’t bother her, then, you said you would, but this explanation helps me understand. I was thinking you were saying you knew she wanted to read but you were going to interrupt her anyway. Yoiks. That’s completely different.
Maybe, I’m just once-bitten-twice-shy by people with no boundaries,and I’m sensitive to the issue.
I think it was Jim Bouton in Ball Four who was reading a book in the locker room and a teammate said to him, “Wow, you like to read.”
Reading is bizarre and almost incomprehensible behavior to some people.
I’ve had at least one supermarket cashier make a comment about how I apparently like to read, when my purchases include a couple of newspapers.
Yes, I am literate.
When someone sees me reading, and comments on it, my go to reply is, “yep, I sound out the big words”.
I’d say it depends. If they’re being nosy or passing judgement, then I can do without it. But most of the time, they’re just curious or have a comment- like “Hey- those are really good! You’ll enjoy them.” or “I haven’t had that- are they good?” I don’t mind that at all.
And I have to admit, I was tickled when in the course of a grocery trip, the following items came up in this order- a bottle of vegetable oil, a box of condoms, and a scented candle. The cashier, a young black woman just looked at me, smiled, nodded and said “Mm hmmmm” in an approving way.
I’d tell them I was practicing before my audition for Chopped.
Reminds me of this Barney Miller episode:
(Hope this worked – I’ve not tried embedding a video before.)
I don’t recall ever being annoyed by a stranger commenting about my food, particularly cashiers. In fact, I typically enjoy the small talk. What else do you have to do while she/he and the bagger are checking you out, twiddle your thumbs while staring into space? Besides, cashiers are probably encouraged to chat with customers. Give them a break and make their shift a bit more pleasant.
Sure, I may be put off if the cashier said something like, “ohh, you better not eat too many of those donuts, they’ll make you even fatter”, or, “egad, those corndogs may give you the shits.” Or, if a next-table over restaurant patron inquires, “what is that, I wanna make sure I don’t order that crap!”
My friend used to work at the old Campus Drug by the University of Minnesota. One day a young woman brought her purchases to the counter. She had roll-on deodorant, a box of condoms, and a pack of cigarettes. She looked at the items, then looked at him and said, “Looks pretty funny, doesn’t it?”
My friend replied, “I usually wait until people are out of the store before I make fun of them.”