The joy of listening in
“You just look lovely today. Yes, you do. But, I think you’ve eaten too much, so we need to take a walk. But, you’ll have to wait up for me, don’t get ahead of me too much. We can just walk and talk for a while.”
Then, the lady who looked like her dog, got up, smiled, and embarked on a slow waddly walk along the downtown shopping corridor.
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable and affordable leisure activities is listening. In a crowded shopping area, restaurant, or park, you might be surprised or well entertained by what you hear!
Don’t be creepy about it, but just casually listen in and look away. You might even hear something like this:
“So, I understand you have 5000 salt shakers and I’d like to buy them.”
Overheard on a plane. To the best of my eavesdropping ability, I stared blankly at the SkyMall catalogue while he brokered a deal for $2500 and no shipping costs before we took off. Interesting.
“I think you’re great, but maybe it’s time we started seeing other people.”
A breakup overheard in a coffee shop while I waited on someone to meet me there. As the conversation developed, I realized that that this was a very mutual breakup. And, she seemed irritated that he beat her to the punch!
Overheard. It’s the joy and sometimes the shock of listening in.
Worth Repeating
I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.
-Ernest Hemingway
