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Halls of the Dark Muse

I Don't Understand People

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by
Dark Muse
, 07-07-2012 at 09:16 PM (426 Views)
I have a long time been baffled by the mentality of the type of people that get the idea to attempt to engage you in conversations while standing in line at the grocery store, or other such things. This presumption they have that I have any interest in their thoughts and opinions, or want to here about their life. While I am granted more anti-social than the average person, I just cannot wrap my mind around what compels people to feel that need.

I was at the book store today when this woman who was browsing books on the shelf next to where I was pulled one of the books off the shelf and proceeded to explain to me that it was the best book she ever read, and everyone else who read the book told her the same thing. It was called "A Fine Balance" I believe. So I did my best to sound interested, I nodded my head and made some such comment as "Oh really" but she seemed faintly offended that I did not immediately take the book out of her hands, and well I am not in the habit of taking impromptu book recommendations from strangers, as I had my own thing going on.

In the face of my failure to show the proper enthusiasm first she makes some remark along the lines of "I was just saying" OK good, I thought I can go back to minding my own business, but it seems she could not resist herself and continued to proceed to explain how great the book is for anyone who is interested in India, and its culture and people, well I could not deny that truth be told I do enjoy reading Indian literature.

So at the end of it as it turned out I ended up figuring what the hell and picking up the book after all, as well it was cheap and had the potential to actually be interesting.

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  1. Helga's Avatar
    Oh I hate it when people do this. I have no need to chat with strangers and I don't want to be bothered when I am shopping or doing what ever.

    I am so stubborn I probably wouldn't have even looked at the book just because the lady annoyed me.
  2. Buh4Bee's Avatar
    Hilarious!
  3. Bakiryu's Avatar
    I hate it when people do this too. I used to work as a cashie and EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER felt the need to go on and on about their lives and I just had to stand there and plaster on a fake smile for hours. >_<
  4. Dark Muse's Avatar
    Oh yes, I hate that sort of thing on both sides, when the person in line in front of me has to divulge all their personal information to the cashier (and even thought my mom really isn't that bad, I sometimes used to tell her that I think she talks too much to them) and I also cannot stand when the cashiers feel the need to start up a conversation about their life with me when I am just trying to buy something and leave.
  5. qimissung's Avatar
    lol, I've never been acosted and forced to be interested in a particular book in a bookstore. Kinda weird, right?

    I have engaged in small talk with various cashiers, and patiently waiting customers in stores over the years. The conversations are short and fairly inane, and even somewhat pleasant.

    What I fear (more than dislike) are the occasional strangers that won't stop talking f-o-r-e-v-e-r! I thought that was gonna happen tonight. I was out for a walk and a woman started talking to me. She showed me a scar on her foot, and we talked about her toes for awhile and various painkillers she'd taken, etc., etc. She had her dog with her, a pretty little husky and I enjoyed petting her. We got to the corner and she kept walking with me, and I was fairly resigned at that point that short of being rude (which is only difficult for me when it's intentional) I wasn't going to be getting away from her. Fortunately she lived only a short half a block from there, and well, it came to an abrupt end, for which I was very grateful.
  6. Dark Muse's Avatar
    haha yeah the bookstore thing was weird. I had people before mention they thought such and such a book was good, but none as persistent as her. She literally seemed mad that I did not immediately take her up on her suggestion.

    I sympathize with you there, that would be pretty unpleasant to be stuck talking with someone indefinitely. LOL glad you got quick relief from that situation.