Tuesday, April 05, 2011

CHATTY KATHY AND THE TOURIST

Riding the bus is always fodder for a good conversation or for the blog. I have never been on it that I didn't come away shaking my head and mostly something new. And, I was not disappointed the other day and it was something I'd never heard before. The bus was fairly crowded with mostly Asians heading to China Town. They get off in two or three stops and the bus then has seats. I sat in one of the "old men" seats although I always feel a little guilty. Then as it emptied, I jumped across the aisle to another one. Across from me was a lady who was a "chatting Kathy" to most anybody. It was general sort of stuff and then I determined that it was all fairly harmless. Two seats besides me empty. A man and his wife, maybe tourists get on and the man sits in one, while reserving the other for his wife who is just behind him. Suddenly, "Chatty Kathy" stands and says to the lady, "I've had my eye on that seat for sometime and so I would like to have it. For a moment, the tourist and wife kind of stare at her. I am a little disbelieving myself. My goal is always to treat tourists kindly, after all, it is what San Francisco is about. I don't see any way for me to intervene. The tourist wife gets up and gives Chatty Kathy her seat. All is resolved, I think. Chatty Kathy says something to the man, he appears to be very kind, words that smack of sweetness, not exactly appropriate for the occasion, i. e., you are a "sweetheart." I'm thinking this guy is one cool customer. Chatty Kathy starts talking again, and it appears that she is talking to the tourist. He doesn't respond but Chatty Kathy is unmoved and keeps talking as though he is paying rapped attention. He turns to her at some point and says, "Are you talking to me." She says, "yes." He says to her. "Then, if you are talking to me, I am not listening and would prefer if you keep quiet." He said it without anger and just then the bus stopped and the tourist and his wife exited. You guessed it, Chatty Kathy started right back to talking.

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