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Interesting conversations only partially heard

The restaurant was crowded.

The woman at the large table across the room had one of those loud voices that older people often have when they’re going deaf. She raised her voice. Everyone in the restaurant could hear her, even above the crowd.

“Science fiction. You can buy it from Amazon.”

Naturally, I turned my head to see who was speaking. Wouldn’t you?

Her (adult) daughter was mortified. She deliberately avoided my eye and looked away from me, trying to shush her mother.

I wanted to go over and tell her not to worry. Let her mother talk. Sometimes the other people in the room hear what they have to say.

The daughter’s husband came in then, with birthday cake, so the conversation turned, but I really wanted to go over and tell the younger woman not to worry. Sometimes, when someone hears a loud voice, they just want to know what the loud-voiced person will say next.

2 replies on “Interesting conversations only partially heard”

Well done. I’ve learned many great scifi recommendations by overhearing conversations… I’m sure others have heard me discussing your fine work.

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