My parents just left and Lis just called me from the airport in DC

[xiphias]

I was supposed to bring papersky's book FARTHING with me to Nana's, to lend to Mom, but I forgot. But then, when we were at Nana and Papa's, Papa had been experimenting with baking with candied fruit, and had made a cake-like-thing. Both Dad and I quite liked it, but Papa wasn't thrilled with how it came out, so Mom and Dad took half and I took the other. But I forgot my cake. And I left before Mom and Dad.

So they phoned and asked if they could drop by and drop off the cake and pick up the book and visit for a while. So they did.

As Mom and I were talking, Dad happened to see an old Alan Dean Foster paperback I had lying around on the kitchen counter, and started flipping through it. I told him I was done with it, so he could take it with him, so he was. And, later, as they were getting ready to leave, Dad started flipping through FARTHING, and started reading it.

Mom teased him, "Your son is standing RIGHT THERE in front of you, and you're standing there reading, instead of talking to him?" I said, "Well, see, now you see where I get it. Seriously, I can't be offended by this, since, among my friends, this is a perfectly normal social interaction -- standing there reading next to each other. Sometimes we'll read particularly cool passages out loud."

Mom and Dad laughed.

I really like my parents.

Comments

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Seriously, I can't be offended by this, since, among my friends, this is a perfectly normal social interaction -- standing there reading next to each other. Sometimes we'll read particularly cool passages out loud."

Well, yeah. Doesn't everybody do that?

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

It's weird. Not everybody does it, and some of those that don't do it can't seem to understand it as being within the range of variation for social customs. Some time ago, I was at a restaurant with relatives, waiting for the meal to be served, and trying to keep the baby playing quietly at our table and not creating a public nuisance. The baby was trying to play peek-a-boo with people at the next table, on the other side of the low barrier. The mother asked me (who could see the people at the table behind her) what they were doing, and if the baby was pestering them.
Adrian: "They're both reading. They don't seem to be paying any attention to the baby."
Mommy: "What are they doing?"
Adrian: "Reading. 2 people, 2 books. While they're waiting for dinner, or waiting for the check, or something."
Mommy: "You're joking. Nobody would do that."
I didn't say, "I would." or "I do." or "Some of my best friends do."
I just stood up to get a better look, and said mildly, "Well, they are, and they seem content with it."

[lkw7.livejournal.com]

That could be, and often is, myself and my husband. We frequently read when we're at restaurants (although I might be making faces back at the baby if I noticed).

[redbird]

Well, some of us try to do it sitting down.

[sezurei.livejournal.com]

They sound like awesome parents. :D

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I hope they like it.

[dancing-kiralee.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

I think it depends on how present you are to each other. Sometimes Joe and I read in bed like that, and he enjoys it. Sometimes he gets upset, because I fall into the book and don't come out... or he is disappointed afterwards because I wasn't being as social as he wanted me to be.

So, I think the reading thing can be rude, but it can also be a comfortable way to relate... it doesn't depend so much on what people are doing, but how they are doing it.

Kiralee