[Chefelf]

Yesterday on my subway ride home I was just sort of standing there, a little dazed from a long day at work. I found myself drifting off into the distance a bit when I realized that I was looking at an open newspaper that a woman was reading a few seats over. I wasn't reading it, just staring absent-mindedly.

Just as I was realizing that I was staring the lady reading the paper (either the Post or the Daily News or some other similar "barely news" paper) she looked over at me and gave me the dirtiest look I could imagine for such a minor offense. Then she actually bent the half of the paper in her left hand while carefully looking over to make sure that I couldn't read it.

When she measured the angle a few more times she saw that she'd allowed me a tiny strip of visibility somewhere by her left elbow. This was unacceptable to her. So here's what she did: She actually crumpled the paper in her left hand to block the tiny slot that I may have been able to read four or five words through (had I been trying).

She actually destroyed part of her paper rather than allow me to read it (which would have been pretty difficult at such a distance anyway). When she was done she gave herself a nod of self-satisfaction and then continued to read it (now a much more challenging task) all the way home.

You've got to admire someone who is so dedicated to the art of not sharing.

[Deepsycher]

Over a newspaper? That sounds selfish. It is eventually going to go in waste.

Would like to see her reaction to the next passenger asking to share the newspaper.

[Emu]

hahaha....I can't imagine what she'd do if the person sitting on her other side started reading over her shoulder!

[Lefty]

Sharing : Caring :: Destruction of personal property to spite others : Abject Loathing

I do like how she nodded to herself in satisfaction. It makes it seem she was considering explaining her actions to you verbally, but felt some Mr. Bean-esque telegraphing would be sufficient.

It's lucky that whole Solomon/whose-baby-is-it thing didn't happen in the New York subway, or else the street would run red with a whole mess o' babies.

[Frank the Rabbit]

i would have rallied everyone on the train to stare at her paper. she might have had a heart attack.

[J m HofMarN]

Sharing is for commies.

[barend]

reading a newspaper on public transport is one of the most anti-social activites i can imagine. the practices requires one to exceed the allocated space of the individual and encroach upon anothers.

i find it offensive.

and she had the hide to hide the news from you?

if only people with portable music players had the same attitude.
the other day i could hear someone elses over my own.

[Deepsycher]

Actually when the bus isn't so packed I read the newspaper or use a laptop and I don't mind sharing my newspaper if next passenger besides is looking. Better than me listening to a bunch of rude school uniformed students swearing and shouting. Something I have to put up everytime I go on the local buses.

I'd say:
(1) Reading the newspaper in a packed bus taking up one space from standees: Selfish
(2) Shouting and swearing all the way: Anti social behaviour
(3) Turning up loud music and speaking loud over mobile phones: Inconsiderate and possibly anti social


I think The art of Being Selfish is good for a title.

This post has been edited by Deepsycher: 25 March 2007 - 08:49 PM

[barend]

using a laptop is okay if you're not sharing a 2 seater with someone.

on sydney buses, i hate when someone is using a laptop next to me because they have to constantly elbow me to operate it.

not to mention the fact that by doing work during non work hours they are lowering the bar and raising employer standards to those of slavery.
traitors to the human race.

play a game for christs sake!!!

[Deepsycher]

The two seaters in my place are not so cramped. I don't remember elbowing anyone and I hope I don't. I don't do work, usually I sort out my pictures of the sky.

This post has been edited by Deepsycher: 25 March 2007 - 09:12 PM

[Slade]

This is hliarious! I thought I had some concept of the crazy people you meet on busses, but I actually had no idea! This sounds like something that would happen in one of the good, old sitcoms or something.

How much more of a paranoid bitch can you be? I mean, the nerve of you only potentially trying to read that paper from afar that she paid 75 cents for.

[barend]

...that she could read on the net free.

[Emu]

but then she'd have to use a laptop, and elbow people.

that, and you can't crumple the corner of a laptop screen when someone's reading over your shoulder.

well, you *could,* but....

This post has been edited by Emu: 26 March 2007 - 08:03 PM

[Deepsycher]

If she looked upon it like a hot oven door by closing it right downwards where it would be difficult to see the display but that would make her look stupid or even more stupid.

This post has been edited by Deepsycher: 26 March 2007 - 08:13 PM

[Chyld]

Well, that showed you! Fancy trying to look at her newspaper! You evil, evil individual!

Ah, though the fun you could have trying even harder, and annoying the poor crazy lady.