The irony!
By Fleur
@Fleura (29677)
United Kingdom
July 11, 2024 3:16am CST
Yesterday I was in town, trying to do some shopping – always an unpleasant experience. But finally I did actually find something I wanted, so I had to join the queue for the checkouts.
There were four or five people ahead of me so I got out my book to pass the time. But no sooner had I read about two sentences than a man joined the queue behind me, and he started to chat. He asked what I was reading. I told him that I carried a book because I rarely get time to read at home so I read some when I’m at the supermarket checkout or waiting in the bank.
He went on to tell me how he also snatched moments to read. He liked to read in the bathroom when he knew he wouldn’t have to answer the ‘phone. And he liked to read in the bath, although this could be hazardous, he had once dozed off and woke to feel the book slipping from his hands – it was a book by C. S Lewis he remembered.
This exchange was all very friendly and he was very pleasant but at the same time I wanted to tell him to leave me alone so I could read my book in some of those snatched moments we had talked about! But by then it was my turn at the till so I never got any further!
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.
13 people like this
11 responses
@Orson_Kart (6546)
• United Kingdom
13 Jul
I’ve got two explanations for his conversation with you:
1. He’s a lonely soul who only has his books and rubber ducky for companionship, and grabs any social interaction whenever he can. If that’s the case, you did a good deed.
or
2. He fancies you and that was his way of breaking the ice. If this is the case, then you should tell him to join the queue. Oh wait, he was already in the queue. ![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
![](/Content/images/emotes/thumbup.gif)
![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
1 person likes this
![](/Content/images/ajax-loader.gif)
@Orson_Kart (6546)
• United Kingdom
14 Jul
@Fleura He was off the leash for a while and took full advantage ![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
1 person likes this
![](/Content/images/ajax-loader.gif)
@GardenGerty (159754)
• United States
11 Jul
I would struggle with the snatched moments. I think this fellow "reader" was more of a blow hard or he would have realized you were wanting your time to yourself.
1 person likes this
@psanasangma (7244)
• India
12 Jul
Snatching a book from you hand, May be he had done absent mindedly or out of being friendliness but I would really have little problem with him ![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
Anyway he seems friendly person and wants to share his story... Who knows he might also be feeling bore
![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (81807)
• United States
11 Jul
I'm always curious about a book when I see someone reading. I'd probably be "that" person behind you to interrupt too. My neighbor behind me loves to sit outside and read. I told my daughter I want to get binoculars just to be able to see what books he's reading
Of course I wouldn't but...
![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (120850)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Jul
At work, I will often try to read on my lunch break, but it never fails that many of my co-workers will try to strike up conversations with me while I’m trying to read. I work with these people 8 hours a day, every day, and yet they wait until I have a little solitude and then they decide they want to engage in conversation.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (170715)
• United States
11 Jul
I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to read your book. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
![](/Content/images/loading.gif)