An ass out of you and umption

[mrissa]

Crowded Culver's in the middle of Wisconsin. Table of four guys in their mid-twenties dressed in hunting winter camo and orange jackets, eating burgers and cheese curds and frozen custard. As I stood there propped against a wall waiting for a table to open up, it became clear what they were discussing:

"Like Mirror Dance? I liked that one, with the crazy clone brother."
"No, not Mirror Door, Mirador. It's a place. They're all places, all the titles. Fake word places."
"I just read Melusine."
"Well, you gotta borrow the others. There's this actress...."

I did not jump in to tell them that truepenny had put trains in the last volume, but oh, was I tempted.

Comments

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I might not enter a conversation at a table, though I would be sorely tempted. I think I would try to make eye contact first. On another hand, I'm of an age and demeanor that no one would ever mistake for coming on to said gentlemen, and I might feel differently if I wasn't.

In a line, I almost certainly would.

I think some of it is regional/cultural and some is individual. I'm going to ask my local African-American who lived in the Twin Cities for a long time, because the African-American culture is the most conversation-starting-with-strangers culture that I know and the midwest seems to be the least.

[inizitu.livejournal.com]

"the African-American culture is the most conversation-starting-with-strangers culture that I know and the midwest seems to be the least."


This? Sort of makes me inexplicably happy. Best Cultural Generalization Ever. =D I want my culture to be associated with chatting pleasantly with strangers. =D

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it makes you happy. It's certainly a Cultural Generalization (TM), and I'm aware of that. But I see it all the time.

[inizitu.livejournal.com]

I do, too, I see the same stuff. Context: In the last few days, esp., I've been subjected to all sorts of really icky generalizations about folks. Hence, seeing something like "conversation-starting-with-strangers" was a pleasant sort of relief, both in construction and sentiment.

It's human nature to generalize and put things in boxes, right? It's a nice change when the boxes have a happy face on them.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

That is indeed a fine thing to be associated with!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Yah, I did think of being of an age and demeanor that one might well mistake for coming on to said gentlemen. Also, there is a certain confidence posture I physically cannot do with the vertigo, and it was part of my repertoire for dealing that kind of misunderstanding quickly and painlessly, so I'm less likely to risk it.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Both of those things make huge sense to me.