Do Not Disturb :)

As a person who has adored books my entire life, I love that no matter what, I always have a ready (and sometimes preferred!) companion at my fingertips. I have blissfully spent many an hour wrapped up in the pages of my favorite novels.

Unfortunately, not everyone quite gets this concept.

A couple of weeks ago when my hubby was out of town, I decided to go out to eat by myself. I headed to my favorite local restaurant, requested a booth, reassured the waitress that no, I really didn’t want to sit at the bar (you know, since I asked for the booth and all), and settled in with my book to read.

When the waiter came to take my order, the pity was immediately apparent on his face. He slid into the opposite seat, cocked his head and smiled that smile one might give to a poufy dress-wearing teenager whose prom date bailed on them. “Just you tonight?”

Now, this waiter was a very nice guy, and I tried not to get impatient with him as he lingered to chat, but it was clear to me, as it so often is, that he believed a patron alone with naught but a book was a thing to be remedied.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. When he asked if it was just me, I wanted to say no—it wasn’t just me. It was me and the engaging characters I was enjoying in Lisa Kleypas’s Rainshadow Road. It was the sexy hero, and the wounded heroine, and her selfish sister, and the skanky ex-boyfriend, and yes – me. I was exactly where I wanted to be, with exactly the people I wished to be with at that moment. 

Interestingly enough, when Kirk and I were out to dinner last week, there was a woman at the table next to us who was engrossed in a book that for the life of me I couldn't see the title of. I almost stuck up a conversation by asking what she was reading, but I realized with a jolt that I would be doing the same thing that I hate others doing to me - interrupting her reading time!

Shame on me, dear reader. If I could forget such a thing, then I could hardly blame others! So I've decided, I should make a little sign to prop on the table when I’m reading alone next time that will hopefully get the hint across to others: “Caution—Reader in her Happy Place. Disturb at your own risk!”

:-)

So tell me – what’s your strategy for getting people to leave you be when you’re reading?  Are you one of those who the kids know not to come near when mommy’s reading? Or are you constantly being interrupted?