Do you talk to strangers? I do on Musing Monday!

From the cyper desktop of Rebecca at Just One More Page "Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about talking to strangers…

We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you? (question courtesy of Dena)"

We were all warned as children not to talk to strangers? Was I warned as a child not to talk to strangers? No, I don't think so. Granted, it was a slightly different world that I grew up in, not as filled with fear about might happen to children as today's world is. You will notice I don't say that it was actually a safer world, because I am not convinced it was. I just think, perhaps due to a lack of 24 cable news being pumped into out heads, no Amber Alert being blared across the TV, we were not as aware of all the terrible things that some very bad people will do to others, especially children.

Then there was the fact that my mother, in retrospect, had a slightly odd approach to childrearing. Now, don't get me wrong. My mother was a great mom...she was smart and funny and did a great job raising me and my Bro when she found herself widowed, owning a bar, in an inner city neighborhood...again in retrospect...eeek! And it is from her that I received my love of books. But really, she let us wander on our own to a degree that I now see as a bit odd. As kids, for example The Bro and I would go to New York City alone, together when I was quite young, alone when I was a bit older.
Quite the adventure...

But then maybe she knew that I was never going to talk to any strangers anyway. I barely talked to people I knew. Because, my dear readers, I am the classic introvert. Always have been, always will be. I could as a child and can still as an adult, spend countless hours alone, quite contentedly. It appears that my need for personal interaction is lesser than the average human being.

So would I try to see what others are reading? Possibly, because as an introvert, I am also an observer of people. I am an Observer Introvert. And I like books. So yes, I am curious about books, my books, your books, stranger's books. Would I ask what it is? On no...no...I think not! That would burst the bubble of the Observer Introvert...it seems much too bold. If they could stand there a few weeks, I might bring myself around to it. In the meantime, I think I will just keep reading my book, thank you.

Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? NO!
Why or why not? Have you heard nothing I said?
What do you do if people talk to you? Yes, there is that danger...lol
Actually, as The Niece can attest, it actually happen the other day and it was book related. We were in Sam's Club...she needed socks before she went back to college and I will take any excuse to go to Sam's and look at STUFF. Anyhoo, we were looking at, believe it or not, books, when a woman starting talking to me, perhaps in response to something I had said to The Niece. She asked if I had read anything by a certain author, which I had not, and went on a bit about why I should. I understand her enthusiasm about books and an author she loves...but really, one should control ones self in public, no?
What did I do? Well, I responded politely, as I always will. I think we had what might be considered a conversation. If books are involved, I might actually not have to pretend to be interested. I don't mind so much talking to people in such a situation, it would just never really occur to me to speak to them first.

Unless they were about to fall into an unseen gaping hole that had suddenly opened in the floor or something important like that. Then I would most like speak first. Especially if they were holding some books. I mean, what a waste.