This is my morning routine. After I get up, get ready, take the dog out, I leave the house to walk to 30 (approximately) steps to the EL. (Trust me, It is LOVELY in the rain, and snow.)
I honestly expect and hope that I spend the next 30-35 minutes in solitude and do not plan or desire to have any conversations until I arrive at work. For the occasionaly friend that I run into, a conversation is acceptable. Although, I honestly hope we are good enough friends that we can talk, say Hi, and then return to reading our books. I mean really.... I don't start to wake up until I've been at work for 1 hour. For someone who I went to High School with, it is also acceptable for you to start a conversation with me, but please have the decency to do it when you are a few stops from your departure so we don't have to talk the entire way to the city. Otherwise we both feel obligated to talk during the entire trip, and I have a strong desire to get off the train and change cars so that I can read in peace.
As soon as I get to the platform, I take out my nook and begin to read. When the train comes I get on the train and (I know you can believe this, but...) I continue to read. So you have to understand when the following thing happen, it kind of ruins my morning.
If I am reading, what makes you think that you have a right to interrupt me and ask me about the nook. Since when were people able to hold a conversation and read at the same time? Do people not understand that I am reading for pleasure? That there are certain people in the world that ENJOY reading? This has happened to me twice in the past week. Its usually a man who looks to be "tight on cash" who interrupts me to ask me what I'm doing. If I weren't afraid (hmm, maybe afraid is the wrong word, maybe cautious, timid, aware... is a more accurate description of my feelings toward him) of him, my response would be "Well, I WAS reading on a Nook, but since you interrupted me, I am currently not able to read now, am I...." But since I don't know this person and he could be dangerous, even though I'm always on a crowded El, I simply say "This is a nook" (without making eye contact) and continue to read.
Unfortunately, even though I am attempting to be visually engrossed in my book (which I usually am actually engrossed in the book), the conversation NEVER ends there. At this point I feel like I'm becoming a Nook commercial and honestly I have no desire. They ask the price (which I always tell them is $80 since I got mine refurb'd and I don't want him to think I'm rich), how many books it can hold, if it comes with books, and how much books cost. Of course, since I am afraid of this guy, I always answer him. But I usually fail to mention all the cool nook features, like library lending, and "lend me" features.
Unfortunately, this conversation usually ends up lasting 10 minutes, and I keep re-reading the same sentence over and over again because I'm being interrupted. What is even MORE unfortunate is the man must want to talk or something and tries to continue to talk to me. At this point I usually say "what?" a lot to try to signify I'm really not in the mood to talk.
Perhaps I'm too nice but, this attempt usually fails.... Thus a crappy start to my morning.
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