To think that people who interrupt people who are reading are really, really bloody rude.

[Niamhisnotarealname]

Scenario; sat eating lunch, reading happily. Woman from work exclaims 'oh, are you eating on your own? l'l sit with you!' and then without waiting for me to answer plonks herself down with a big smile and starts eating, clearly expecting me to talk to her.
I, carry on reading. When she is finished she gets up and says in a snarky fashion 'well that was enlightening, thank you'
I reply, 'its nothing personal, I just like to read on my own at lunch.' (thinking, hence why i was sat on my own, reading) She says, 'well just so you know I got rid of 4000 books before I moved here'. ?

there's another one that does it too. says hi, asks if i'm having a nice day (to which i politely say hi, yes thank you) and then proceeds to ask me about what i'm reading. and so i have to stop reading and talk.

It really winds me up, which is why today i just sat reading instead of starting a conversation like she clearly expected.

What is it about these people that makes them think that their time and what they want is more important than my time and what i want?

Raaarrrgghhhhhh

[Niamhisnotarealname]

oh, and whilst i'm at it. people who insist on starting conversations abut things like the fucking weather whilst i'm stood at the bus stop with my earphones in, music playing. If i wanted to socialize i wouldn't have earphones in!

[bodhranbae]

Fucking hell - and I thought I was anti social.

[Humansatnav]

I get you op, but that's why I go and sit in my car if Ive brought my Kindle to work.

[Emstheword]

YANBU....but perhaps a little grumpy

[MuddlingMackem]

YANBU on the reading. At all!

[Doobigetta]

Your colleagues are VVVVVVVU.

[Niamhisnotarealname]

I work in a call center, i talk to people all day every day as part of my job. I am social and happy on the call floor and chatty with other staff. all i want on my half hour lunch is 30 minutes peace with my book. humansatnav I don't have a car unfortunately, so i try to hide in a corner of the canteen.

today has been made worse as i'm feeling under the weather anyway and just want to be left alone.

its peoples lack of respect for others that really gets to me. I don't like to be rude, but for godsake, they can see i'm reading.

[EyeSpye]

Nah I don't blame you OP! I'm a friendly person but I'm also secretly an introvert and relish just being able to sit on my own, read and eat for half an hour to regather my strength to deal with people again!

[ThereIsACarInTheKitchen]

YANBU! This always seems to happen to me whenever I'm reading. People will always come up to me and start trying to talk to me. They usually start the conversation off by asking what I'm reading.

Your colleague was rude. You were reading, did she clearly think you looked like you were in the mood to chat?

[MrsItsNoworNotatAll]

I hear you on both accounts.

[AlpacaYourThings]

YANBU at all.

I bloody hate socialising with people.

[Moln]

Unless this happens everyday YABU, and rude. I love to read on my way to and from work but sometimes I met someone I know so I just talk to them (disappointing as it might be)

I imagine they think that their time and what they want is more important than your time and what you want for much the same reasons as you think your time and what you want is more important than their time and what they want.

[Niamhisnotarealname]

She was rude first moln

[Niamhisnotarealname]

if she had said, do you mind if i sit with you? im taking lunch on my own today. It would have been a very different response. i assure you.

[Nanny0gg]

I think you could have said something as she sat down, rather than leaving her staring at you waiting for a response.

She was rude, but really, so were you.

[SaucyJack]

YANBU. Being an introvert/anti-social is not actually rude IMO.

You are not obliged to entertain other people (with the exception of your own children).

[ClawHandsIfYouBelieveInFreaks]

YANBU OP. I HATE it. I also find it INFURIATING when I am reading and someone twats along and asks me "What are you reading?"



A: None of your business
B: I'm not reading anymore because YOU just interrupted me.

You were not rude. She didn't ask if you wanted company. She invaded you.

[teamboleyn]

I hear you OP. That's why i sit at a 'reading table'. Four of us sit for half an hour eating our lunch, reading and effectively ignoring each other. When finished there's a 'see you later'. No spare chairs for chatty folk and everyone is happy. It happened quite gradual, I sat next to a guy who was reading a book, plonked myself next to him and said Don't worry I won't talk to you, I've my book too. He said cool and that was that. Another guy wanting a quiet lunch joined us another day and then another. Bliss. No more one word answers to office chit chat while not lifting your eyes from your book.

[Moln]

Not really if she said that you were on your own and she'd sit with you. I'm not saying this situation isn't a giant pain in the arse, especially if you're not feeling well. I got 'caught' on the way to work today - would have liked to tell her to bog off but I can't bring myself to be rude really. Now if it were a daily occurrence I would have to do something to prevent it

The comment about the 4000 books is a bit pathetic though, chip on her shoulder there!!!

[HSMMaCM]

I like to be left on my own to read and find the most remote corner to do it in. If someone rudely interrupted my reading, I'd probably be polite, but cross. DD (15) walked into the bedroom and saw me reading the other day. She snuck out quietly, but I went to find her to see if she needed anything.

[SoMuchForSubtlety]

YANBU, I hate talking to people when I've carved out some me time, I get exhausted if I have to talk all day (extroverts ime don't understand this)... Normally I hide (literally).

Your colleague should have picked up your "don't talk to me" vibe and gone away, it was rude of her to force herself into your quiet time. It would be different if you were sitting staring into space looking lonely, but you weren't.

[hearthwitch]

They do that at my work drives me mad. Are you on your lunch they ask. I've got my nose stuck in a book and a sandwich in my hands. Guess the answer. But it never stops them. Oh but can't you just do this one thing. Saying no luck off apparently offends. ??

[PrincessTheresaofLiechtenstein]

YAIBU. I used to work in an office where people would do this. I used to have to leave the building and eat in a cafe where I could be left alone to read the paper - cost a fortune over time. Couldn't even eat outside in warm weather as the strangers sharing the bench would sometimes attempt to converse with me sometimes it's hard to be a southerner living in the north

[MyballsareSandy]

Yes yes in was sitting in our work canteen, reading the paper, and a colleague actually moved it and sat down to join me. I love my quiet lunch times, as meal times at home are like feeding time at the zoo, plus constant noise and verbal diarrhoea.

[PrincessTheresaofLiechtenstein]

Omg teamboleyn that sounds perfect. Now you'll tell me you have a free coffee machine too and I can come and work with you