Watch this argument with me

[Motherflubber]

I’m eating alone in a very small restaurant in a very small town and there’s a very small woman absolutely laying in to her dining partner who is resolutely refusing to react.

She’s in her mid-60’s I’d say. Her dining partner looks a similar age, he’s probably late 60’s although looks younger because he’s got that lanky teenage frame and posture about him. He’s deathly calm in the face of her fury.

Anyway, she’s fuming. It started about 20 minutes ago with a furiously whispered ‘well it’s just like it was in millets PHILLIP’. The ‘Phillip’ was spat with such venom I winced from across the room. There’s only them, me and another table here.

From what I can gather, Phillip has a long held opinion on something and as a result, doesn’t want to buy something that this lady would like to purchase. She says she will buy it for herself and Phillip has calmly said ‘that’s fine if you want to, I don’t mind you having one but I won’t be using it’. He’s eating a burger and switched from eating with a knife and fork to picking the whole thing up in his hands - this infuriated the woman further and she said that sort of behaviour was exactly why she can’t have him coming to Mark and Fiona’s next week. He didn’t reply to that and that also seems to have annoyed this woman even more. She has finished her main course but keeps picking up her cutlery and putting it down again like she’s stuck for something to do.

Phillip has attempted to change the subject a few times but she can’t let this go. They’ve not said what the thing is but my first thought was an electric car maybe? She wants one but he doesn’t? Whatever it is has clearly been boiling her piss for a while because she’s absolutely hopping mad that he won’t agree to use one of whatever it is. I’m also dying to know what happened in Millets.

Also yes I’m eavesdropping, although given the space is tiny and they’re feet away from me, I’d hear what was happening whether I was trying to hear it or not. It is indeed none of my business and if you need to tell me off to feel morally superior then please do go ahead. If you’re a people watcher though, come and speculate with me

Can I ask that if it isnt critical, what you get out of it? Genuine question as I don’t understand what is interesting about random people going about their business?

O Lord, I am crying with laughter at this.

It's the same impulse as reading a novel, watching a film etc. The inner lives of others, what motivates them, little revealing mundane details, their stories. Most writers of fiction will be avid people watchers.

I know a few people who just don't like fiction etc. though - it's just not their cup of tea which is fair enough.

Oh I like fiction but you are seeing a tiny snapshot and I can’t understand why that would be interesting. Do you listen in as well?

People are posting for public view. That isn’t the same as being just getting on with their mundane lives and being the source of apparent fascination to strangers.

I definitely listen in! With my blankest expression. I mean you don't often get a full-blown saga, it's more snippets, glimpses into other lives.

Tiny snapshots, as you say. A bit like if you see a photo of someone going about their daily business. It's not the full picture. I like oral histories as well. It's never everything- memory is subjective so will pick out highlights, or lowlights, or random things. I guess it's part of editing an oral history book to decide how much historical/social etc. context to give. I do find those tiny snapshots interesting.

yes I do respond very often (not sure if that is a dig - how many comments would you like me to make a week?)

people post in here to have a conversation. People who are out and about aren’t doing that.

Of course I’m aware that people do it but I don’t get why it’s interesting to watch people drinking coffee or eating a meal that’s all.

Apparently not being nosey makes me unusual

Wow. Is it just when they are loud or in general? Isn’t that rude?

I am only asking as I was taught being nosey was rude. I’m also AuDHD so tend to stick to ‘the rules’

If you can’t see it’s different then fair enough.

What is your issue about the number of posts I make exactly? I didn’t know there was an acceptable number

I really shouldn’t have, but I properly lol’d at this

At the risk of making another post and offended you even further, the ‘rules’ regarding manners that I was taught.

My ND brain works a certain way, I’m sorry if that bothers you.

Men can be funny about hearing aids, much more so than women I think. My late FIL refused to do anything about his hearing and was stone deaf by the end of his life. It was infuriating.

And I tend to post several times as i think of something after I have posted.

Have I offended you somewhere? I don’t recognise your username

The snark about the number of items I post doesn’t seem that ‘genuine’ but there you go