Do you find yourself analyzing social situations around you?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (217716)
Walnut Creek, California
April 5, 2016 11:17am CST
It was this photo that led me to hang out with my 7-year-old neighbor buddy last weekend. He caught me taking the picture and said, "Hey, are you taking our picture"?
What led me to take the picture was that there was a lot going on. The Croation-American mom (not shown) was chatting with the Indian-American mom while my 7-year-old friend made an elaborate train network. But the Indian mom was also trying to keep track of her younger child, who was scurrying about all over the place.
The boy playing with the railroad tracks was pretending to be friendly, but I could tell that he was most concerned that the younger child, who may have had challenges of some sort (perhaps some sort of sensory disorder?), would trample his railroad tracks.
I was watering my balcony plants and watched all this unfold. I kind of felt like Jeeves, Bertie Wooster's butler (a P.G. Wodehouse creation), quietly taking everything in. Do you ever watch or listen to social situations and try to figure out what's going on from different angles?
36 people like this
33 responses
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
5 Apr 16
not tons, hubby does, but I tend to be oblivious
4 people like this
@TheHorse (217716)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 Apr 16
@Jessicalynnt Yep. All of the above.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (82555)
• United States
5 Apr 16
I love people watching and trying to figure out a story to go with what I'm watching. Seems as if you're pretty much right when looking at this picture. Your neighbor looks intend on building his railroad and doesn't seem to want any problems in his construction
4 people like this
@carebear29 (31962)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
5 Apr 16
I have a habit of doing that once in a while.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137249)
• United States
6 Apr 16
Yes and no, pony... If we are out in a public place, I may pay more attention to what is going on around us, but if I am home, I KNOW I am oblivious of anything happening around us!
Our neighbors simply don't interest me. Once I have figured out the type of person they are, I tend to ignore anything else they do.
We used to have sets of neighbors who constantly watched us (and presumably everyone else on the street) but I felt their constant surveillance was intrusive in the extreme! We couldn't even go out onto our front porch to sit quietly and read without them coming out and staring at us as if we were there simply for their amusement.
We were quite happy when both sets of people were evicted from the rental houses they infested!
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137249)
• United States
9 Apr 16
@TheHorse Apparently not! You know I work odd hours, but anytime I was home, so were they! It didn't matter what day of the week or hour of the day, if we went out onto our front porch, we drew an audience...
We had one set of neighbors who lived int the other half of the duplex we rent that would sit at their back window and stare at us if we were out on our front porch. We finally grew a bamboo hedge so they couldn't see us and we had privacy from them...
I have a picture of that bamboo hedge. Let me see if I can post it right-side up for you.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
Several years ago my husband had unwilling ringside seats to a marital dispute. We were in the apartment above the store. The couple stood just in front of the store with a stroller with an infant and the, about six year old girl, moved off about 40 feet to play with the gravel. After almost an hour of being silent spectators, we wanted to dump a pail of water off the balcony over their heads. They were still both replaying the same argue,net, over and over and over.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (217716)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Apr 16
@Morleyhunt Yep, this is the kind of thing I see over and over in my job.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
7 Apr 16
@TheHorse the six year old seemed to want to separate herself from her parents. She knew we were watching, and I had the feeling this was. It the first time she had been through this kind of situation. I felt so badly for this child. She needed to be home in bed with a loving family.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222242)
• Chile
5 Apr 16
What you are telling is quite normal here, if you go to the beach, for example.
2 people like this
@Mike197602 (15506)
• United Kingdom
5 Apr 16
Like someone mentioned, I do like to observe people whilst doing my shopping...makes things more interesting.
I love Jeeves and Wooster, have you seen the tv adaptation?...really funny
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (217716)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Apr 16
@Mike197602 I think I would enjoy that. It's on my list.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15506)
• United Kingdom
5 Apr 16
@TheHorse You're right, Hugh Laurie played wooster.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (10037)
• Philippines
6 Apr 16
@TheHorse _My brother who works as a cook on a cargo ship was sightseeing NY. Can't recall the street but I think it was in Manhattan. A couple (Afro-American) were having a heated argument on the street.Most passerby just pass them but my brother couldn't help staring which drew the attention of the man (A huge mountain of a man) "What are you starring at Samo Hung?" he yelled at my brother. My brother who is also a big guy thought it prudent to scamper to the other side of the road. (Samo Hung is a Chinese martial actor whom my brother resembles.
1 person likes this
@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
6 Apr 16
Yes, I do listen to others talk sometimes. Especially while sitting in a doctor's office.
1 person likes this
@cherriefic (10399)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
Sometimes I do whenever I am out and waiting for someone or something.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
7 Apr 16
Yes, it is a great pastime, especially for those who like to write.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Apr 16
I used to when I lived in the old neighborhood. I could watch for a minute and have a short story written in my head in a few minutes.
1 person likes this
