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15 people online in the last 60 minutes - 0 Canucks, 0 Canucks In Hiding and 15 Visiting Canucks. (Most ever was 233 at 09:22:13 Fri Sep 21 2007) |
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valjean I'm Asleep  299 posts   Mood Now:  
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DEAR ABBY: My husband took me out to an expensive restaurant. As we chatted over dinner, we realized that the couple next to us was eavesdropping on our conversation. They could hear everything we were saying. They kept turning their heads and looking straight at us. They even tried to peek when the check came.
My husband and I tried to ignore it, however, it put a damper on our nice evening. How should we tell nosy people to "butt out" of our dinner conversation? -- CONVERSATIONALLY SPEAKING IN DELAWARE DEAR CONVERSATIONALLY SPEAKING: You and your husband missed an opportunity to have some fun. If you invent wild enough dialogue, the reaction can be funnier than a floor show. You could have raised your voices just a bit and begun discussing how you were going to spend the "drug money" -- or which girl you planned to send on the next "call." Short of asking to be seated at another table, there is no foolproof way to discourage nosy eavesdroppers. |
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Peppergal I'm Hiding  516 posts   Mood Now: 
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Or start talking about the couple who is listening to your conversation. LOL
Did it occur that perhaps, they were speaking too loudly? Maybe they need hearing aids…I was in Wendy's with my family once and two old fellers two tables away were talking about health issues…one guy was frankly sharing his colonoscopy, and something about his bag and emptying it, and being catheterized, and something about his penis, etc…it was quite gross - though all medical, not in a base or crude way - they looked like rather dignified old guys… and you couldn't help but hear it. I really doubt they had any idea half the restaurant could hear them.
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ketzpjz I'm Asleep posts Mood Now:
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WRONG!These days, one can't tell if the strangers at the next table might be DEA,FBI agents, vice cops, drug pushers or pimps/madams. The other couple might have been none of the above but since they'd already demonstrated they're quite nosy (as evinced by them looking at the correspondents' bill), I wouldn't put it past them to cellphone the authorities ASAP to report the bogus 'crimes' they'd overheard!BAD approach to try to 'have fun'!
I think a FAR less potentially self-destructive approach would be (as soon as one notices one's conversation is being listened in on), to just start talking sheer jiberish to each other (e.g. 'Blah, blah,BLAH, blah-blah, blah, blah-BLAH, etc') making sure to change inflections, tones and intonations of the blahs every so often. The other couple would either have to laugh or just lose interest FAST- and it would discourage them from wanting to listen in to others' private conversations (which was the whole POINT the correspondents were trying to seek guidance for)!. This has gotta be among the Top 100 of Abby, Jr.'s STOOPIDEST Answers!:bonkhead: |
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valjean I'm Asleep 299 posts Mood Now:
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She does seem to be getting into the liquor cabinet this week. Maybe it's the holiday parties.  |
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suzarama2 I'm Asleep posts Mood Now: 
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Why are people so worried about being polite to rude people? Blows me away!
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jimbo9 I'm Asleep 12277 posts   Mood Now: 
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id have no compuction of saying to such a rude duo to paraphrase from a fave song:' goodbye rubberhead so long boob, go and blow your inner tube"… as for abby jr-have another one dear,its on the house.
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valjean I'm Asleep 299 posts Mood Now:
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What about when kids stare at you …
Personally, I like to stare back at them. See who blinks. |
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jimbo9 I'm Asleep 12277 posts Mood Now:
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I do and more often than not, they do the blinkin. As you see, Im the shy and retiring
 type. |
siblygirl  I'm Asleep 1000147 posts  Mood Now: 
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DEAR ABBY: In response to "Conversationally Speaking," a reader who complained about being eavesdropped upon in restaurants, you suggested that the couple engage in some "wild dialogue" for entertainment purposes, such as "how to spend their drug money" or which girl you planned to send on the next "call."
As a police officer who has had to waste significant time and resources following up on such reports of "suspicious behavior," I'm surprised you would encourage such an irresponsible action. Our nation's homeland security is of paramount importance these days, and our governing leaders have requested help from the public in "remaining vigilant" and reporting suspicious behavior to the proper authorities. Fifty lashes with a wet noodle to you for failing to consider the consequences of your ill-advised recommendation. What were you thinking? -- DAN HOFFMAN, DEPUTY CHIEF, FAIRBANKS (ALASKA) POLICE DEPT. DEAR DEPUTY CHIEF HOFFMAN: I was thinking about having some fun, not about homeland security. In the light of the sober times we live in, however, I probably should have played it straighter. On a lighter note, quite a few readers wrote to describe how they have handled the situation. Read on for a sample: DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have a suggestion. Talk about "Aunt Tilly's" recent operation with details so graphic that only the strongest stomach could hold its contents. Or, perhaps, mention "Cousin Mandy's" little boy throwing up all over the wedding cake at someone's reception. -- MARGARET IN SWOOPE, VA. DEAR MARGARET: That could, indeed, work. Read on: DEAR ABBY: I had the same experience. Since everyone at my table was in the medical field, I began describing an extremely grisly autopsy I had been involved in. Within five minutes, the couple at the nearby table had paid their bill and left their food. While they may have not been "cured" of listening, they certainly got their "dose" of reality. -- STEPHEN IN THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS DEAR STEPHEN; Your eavesdroppers must not have been fans of the currently popular TV crime series and their spin-offs. DEAR ABBY: Some friends and I were eating in a restaurant that featured a large atrium and all kinds of plants hanging from the rafters. When we realized we were being listened to, my friend's wife started telling everyone at the table how -- in order to control the bug population in the plants -- they had hundreds of lizards living in the foliage. "Nosy Rosy" went screaming from the restaurant with her coat pulled over her head. I guess she was afraid of lizards. -- JOHN IN WELLINGTON, OHIO DEAR JOHN: Leapin' lizards -- your friend was creative. DEAR ABBY: Here's my technique. I lean over to the rude eavesdroppers and smile. Then I invite them to scoot their chairs a little closer, so they can hear our conversation more easily. It usually embarrasses them into stopping. -- MARTHA IN DALHART, TEXAS DEAR MARTHA: Not everyone is as straightforward as you. DEAR ABBY: Some people need to be reminded about good manners. When I'm in that situation I confront them and ask, "Are we talking too loud? If not, how about giving us some privacy?" and continuing eye contact until they stop. -- AIDA IN RAPID CITY, S.C. DEAR AIDA: Interesting you should mention it, because several people suggested that the volume of the conversation might have been the problem to begin with.
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TragicallyHipper  I'm Asleep 7322 posts  Mood Now: 
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I have to agree with Dan Hoffman. That was lousy advice for Abby to give. Martha and Aida have soom good advice, though.
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Peppergal I'm Hiding 516 posts Mood Now:
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heh heh, too bad you're not.
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SarahJane I'm Asleep 1825 posts  Mood Now: 
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Aida's is better, in my opinion.
~ Sarah Jane
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valjean I'm Asleep 299 posts Mood Now:
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Looks like the Deputy Chief in Fairbanks agreed a lot with ketz's first reaction to Abby's tripe.
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ketzpjz I'm Asleep posts Mood Now:
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Seems that way, Valjean! I wonder if he's ever gotten into the Iditarod?
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april_wino1  I'm Asleep 3245 posts  Mood Now: 
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I agree with Sarah!
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pyxi_styx I'm Asleep 3982 posts   Mood Now:
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Yeah, it could very well be the volume of the conversation.
Peace out. 
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hipgurl I'm Asleep 1664 posts 
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I'll play devil's advocate in this thread. A restaurant really is not the best place to have a private conversation. If people from the neighbouring tables can hear you, then you really can't complain about them eavesdropping. I'd say, save your private conversations for home.
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Emily_Garfunkel  I'm Asleep 6565 posts  Mood Now: 
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Well, you do have a point, Hipgurl!
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tragicallyhip_babe I'm Asleep 2815 posts  
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I totally agree with Hipgurl!
Keep Hipping! 
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TragicallyHipper I'm Asleep 7322 posts Mood Now:
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Yeah, as Bethany said, you really cannot expect to have privacy in a restaurant.
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