I'm sitting in a Barnes and Noble cafe, drinking my cold brew, texting my roommate, and working on a feedback letter for my creative writing class. For some reason, I'm not quite as productive in silent rooms at the library, or even in my own dorm; I'd rather hear other voices in the background, despite the fact that I sometimes get distracted by what they say.
Just now, for example, I heard "I'm so sorry, but that's one of my favorite books of all time." I looked up to see a woman standing next to another person's chair, gushing over the writing style of the book sitting on the table. The two of them spent a few minutes bonding over the novel, saying "nice to meet you" as the woman walked away.
It's interesting that she started the conversation with an apology, as she had nothing but positive things to say; at the same time, I understand the hesitancy, as there's a risk of people thinking you're unusual for taking up a moment of their day. I understand that it can be scary to start conversations that should just be simple and full of joy. But those who are brave enough to do it can make someone's day, even a random person they never even spoke to (in this case, that's me). They have no idea that I overheard this conversation from my little table in the corner, and maybe I shouldn't eavesdrop, proceeding to go on my little website and write about it. The sweet interaction just caught my attention, especially as someone who loves books in the way that this woman in Barnes and Noble clearly does. I love when people share their love of something; for example, in my creative class yesterday, I mentioned Maggie Rogers (as I frequently do), and a chorus of enthusiasm followed, from both my classmates and my professor.
Interactions between strangers can go in many different directions, so it was fun to witness such a nice one. Yes, it distracted me from the work I was doing beforehand, but that's okay. It was a good distraction.
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