Overheard.

It is now time for "Overheard at the Coffee Shop," a series where I tell you about silly, poignant, interesting, or stupid conversations I overhear in coffee shops or other places while staring into a book or newspaper and consuming a delicious drink or foodstuff.

"Overheard 1"- Saturday, August 15, 2009.

Where: Caffe Ibis.
Eating/Drinking: Dark roast coffee and blackberry coffeecake.
Reading: "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris.


Conversation went something like this (quotes are not exact):

Lady who appears to be in her 30s and who is some kind of instructor at the university: "...Well, it's not fair. Women can't go out alone in public without being bothered. I can't go anywhere alone without being hit on or bothered by someone. It's not fair. Guys can just go sit somewhere alone and read in peace. Women are victims."

Guy: Something interesting. (I couldn't hear what he said.)


Commentary in my head went something like this:

Really, madam? I am a female. I have been sitting here, alone in a public place, for about an hour. No one has "bothered" me or "hit on" me, unless you count the fly who landed on my shoulder a couple times. And I think that was more of a throwing-up-on or pooping-on than anything else. And would you believe, madam, that I frequently sit in public places alone without being approached, except for that time when that guy with the really long earrings just couldn't contain himself about how young I looked? You see, the fact that you are a very attractive, intelligent female doesn't permit you to speak for the rest of us. Perhaps you shouldn't make such broad generalizations about women getting hit on all the time, just because it always happens to you. I'm not trying to be rude, that's just how it is. And it's pretty hard to ignore when I, the lone female, am sitting right across from you.


...And that concludes "Overheard at the Coffee Shop" for this week. Stay tuned for more coffee and conversation in the upcoming weeks.

**IRONY: A week after I wrote this, I was "bothered" by a man in the same coffeeshop. I just wanted to sit and read in peace and he kept talking to me and bragging about his art. And somehow I ended up giving him my phone number. Funny how that happens when you are not in the least bit interested in the person. Not to be rude, I'm just being honest. And then he kept calling and calling me for a while. Oops.