Friday, April 13, 2007

Conversation in Reverse



I commute to school and to work 5 to 6 days a week. I'm usually alone in my car (yeah, I know--bad for the environment. I'll be making some changes soon.)

One of the things that I like to do is watch other people in their cars. Not while I'm driving, mind you, but at those points where we are stopped. Generally, I watch in my rear view mirror, since I can see faces that way.

Watching a conversation in reverse is a little odd--trying to figure out who started the discussion, what they are talking about, is it a good conversation, or are they arguing, are they related or just friends--all the little things that go into a tale are right there behind me.

I've been caught watching a few times--the driver or passenger will get a furrowed brow, then try to nonchalantly tell the other person that they are being watched. I don't count it as eavesdropping, since I can't hear what they're saying, and I can't read lips even when face-to-face, so in reverse would be hopeless. Yet I suppose that when we are in our cars, we enter our own private bubble, a mini-universe of our own, and knowing that someone else is watching you bursts that illusion.

I think my favorite part is the gesticulations--all the movements that we make as we communicate. I try to figure out what point they're emphasizing. Sometimes, I make up my own story to go along with their motions.

Man, I need a shorter commute!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Indeed it can be very interesting to observe people, especially when, at least initially, they don't believe anyone is watching them. Thanks for this neat little post.

JunieGirl said...

Thanks, Mr. I! I didn't forget about that book--the library didn't have it. :(

I'm going to buy a copy when I get my tax return. Kinda sad that I don't have any extra cash until then, but that's the life of a college student.

Anonymous said...

Hah, cool. I wouldn’t be in too much of a hurry though. While I like to think it’s good not to be ignorant, being an atheist does have its down sides too. So exercise caution.

Cheers, I.

JunieGirl said...

Well, I'll be quite blunt about it. I don't suspect that I am going to give up my faith, regardless of how convicting/convincing he is.

For me, a life apart from faith is a futile life. If we are all an accident, then I do not wish to live. So even if in the end it turns out that I am wrong, this is one area of my life that I will probably choose to be willfully ignorant.