Two random things

A funny thing happened . . .

I went to Starbucks this evening to read and write for a bit. There was a pair of comfortable chairs with an end table between them and since they were empty, I put my book and journal on one of them to claim it while I went to order my drink. A couple minutes later when I came back, there was a guy sitting in the other chair and my books had been moved from the chair to the end table between them. That seemed odd, but I just sat down in the chair as I had planned to. The guy asked, “Oh, were you sitting there?” I answered, “Yeah, are you expecting someone?” He said he was and that he'd just sit elsewhere. He was polite about it and there was another pair of comfortable chairs available, so no big deal really; it just seemed awkward to me. If I saw books in a chair, I would presume someone was sitting there. Maybe he thought someone had forgotten them? Or that they were just the coffeeshop's books for the public?

What do you think? Am I missing something obvious here?

Why do we say that?

If someone is eavesdropping, why do we say they're being “nosy”? Shouldn't it be “earsy”?

❦

View responses or leave your own response

published November 9, 2010

Responses

– November 9, 2010
I forgot to mention: the guy was already in the coffeeshop when I entered — sitting in the chair that he ultimately returned to. Odd.

Thursday's Child – November 9, 2010
It is, indeed, a bit odd to move someone's stuff out of a chair, with the exception that the store was particularly crowded, but as there were another set of chairs open, that seems to not be the case.

You probably should have just sat in his lap. That'd have learned him.

Also is the second part a serious question? Because I totally have an answer if it is.

Isha – November 9, 2010
I think that people are just strange. Maybe he didn't realize you were sitting there and thought someone else had left them.

But really he just wanted a chance to speak to gRegorlove.

– November 9, 2010
@TC: Yeah, it wasn't very busy tonight. Sure, feel free to answer that question however you like. :)

Thursday's Child – November 9, 2010
Someone is “nosy” because that's a shorter way of saying that they “stick their nose in other people's business.”

Since the nose is a protruberance, it often is the first thing that enters the “business,” whatever metaphorical meanings you'd like to apply there.

tadaa!

(as a side note, your spam protection used double digit numbers, and I almost had to pull out a calculator. I am very bad at math.)

Jess-lo – November 10, 2010
You should have very calmly, called him Frank. Frankly, Frank, I have this feeling that being frank with you is ultimately useless. But let me try.

Or you could have just kicked him in the shin. Or called his mother.

Debbie – November 10, 2010
He wanted to read your journal, therefore he was nosey!