We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you?If I'm reading, I would prefer that people refrain from talking to me or quizzing me about the book I'm reading unless I look up at them and make eye contact. Although I've learned to hide it well, I tend to be a very shy person, and I have to make an effort to kick myself into Gregarious Mode to speak to strangers. Books, however, are often an exception.
I normally treat people the way I would like to be treated, and I don't start talking to someone who's reading--even if they're reading one of my all-time favorite books--unless they look at me and make it obvious by speaking first or smiling that they would welcome an interruption.
If we are standing in line at the book shop waiting to pay for our treasures and take them home, I enjoy talking books with complete strangers. Yesterday is a case in point. A friend and I went to my favorite book shop, The Poisoned Pen, which has the most fantastic selection of crime fiction. As I was having my thirteen-book haul rung up at the register, my friend brought in one of my shopping bags from the car. (I refuse to have large herds of plastic bags breeding in my house!) A gentleman came up to make his own purchase, started eyeballing my stack of books, and then got a huge smile on his face when he saw me loading my books into my shopping bag. "You're a person after my own heart. You like the same kind of books I do, and you bring your own bag. We're heart-to-heart friends!" As we stood there talking, I learned that we do share several of the same favorite authors and titles, and that his wife chased him away from the house because she was having a hen party. The first and only place he thought of to go was The Poisoned Pen. Definitely a heart-to-heart friend, and I wouldn't've met him if I hadn't been willing to talk to a complete stranger in line at the book shop.
I really don't have real life friends who share my passion for books. This is what my book blog is for...and those serendipitous moments in book shops!
Aw, that's a nice story. Conversations like that just don't come up often enough
ReplyDeleteRebecca--No, they don't...unfortunately!
ReplyDeleteThat is the best story!!! I hope you continue to run into each other at the Poisoned Pen! (What a great name!)
ReplyDeleteJenners--I won't see him again until next winter/spring. He and his wife are winter visitors from Alaska!
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