Either that, or she thought I was an asshole:

Sometimes, I like to give very general answers to questions that expect a specific answer. If someone asks me what I feel like having for dinner, I'll them I feel like having some food. If I'm asked what I'm listening to, I'll say I'm listening to music.

And so forth. It's pretty obvious I like to be a smartass. It's less obvious as to why I still have friends.

Usually, people will roll their eyes at such a response, ask the question again, and I'll give a normal answer. Sometimes, though, I get an answer that makes me quite depressed.

I was on a break at my restaurant job, when a rather doe-eyed teenage co-worker sat down next to me. She saw I had my nose buried in a book (Shadowmarch, by Tad Williams, for those that are curious), and piped up.

"What're you reading?"

"A book."

She paused for a moment, vacant-faced. "Oh."

As if my answer was perfectly normal, and she had never seen a book before. Which I suppose may be true. Kids these days.

2 comments:

  1. ....Dude, you've only brought non-fiction books to work far as I've seen. And on top of that you waved the book in my face, using nonverbal language to express what book and what kind. I responded to both of your choices in expression without cynicism which I imagine is what you were attemptimg to provoke out of me merely because I find such boring. And I enjoy acting outside the norm. I tend to stare vacantly at people because I find it generally makes them feel uncomfortable and they are more likely to be honest about there feelings or break them from their focus of "whats next" and respond more from the present moment. If you know what I mean eh? :P things aren't always as they seem hmm? Also, I'm not a teenager unless you are, I'm only a few years younger than you old man.

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  2. Um. I wasn't talking about you. I'm well aware you're not a teenager. Ha.

    Also, I wouldn't write a smarmy little post about a person if I knew that person would read it. So, ha.

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