This thread now reminds me of the comments on a rant youtube video I made many years ago when I owned and lived in a house in an area which became saturated by students. It was called, provocatively, "I Hate Students". (If you look at it now, the comments layout has changed, my replies have been disconnected from the original comments. Youtube changed this some time ago.)
The majority of the comments came from students who hated the video; I replied to their remarks, but then others would make comments covering areas I'd already dealt with in prior responses. The same thing is happening here, and I hate to repeat myself.
Riplinger: your assessment of my situation couldn't be further from the truth; I'm much older than you seem to assume. I owned the "student area" house for 30 years before selling up and moving to my second home, the one I now share with three cats who stay in at night, so I'm familiar with cleaning litter trays, but this only takes a few minutes.
I've taken on lots of responsibility in my life, such as running a small feral cat rescue in my previous home.
I am single (never said yes to those who asked) and don't have children by both choice and it having been inadvisable due to medical issues. I'm now long past child-bearing age. I have to cope with a long-term medical problem I've had all my life, which makes it impossible for me to hold down a job.
Naive? You must be joking! I grew up at the age of 11 when my mother left home. At 14 I spend several months in care before going to live with my brother and his wife. From here I went to live with a boyfriend in Stratford, then off to Uni where I did a degree in Literature. After that life was a hellish adventure. I wish I were young and niave!
You started on the personal stuff, so you got it.
ekbell: for most of human existence we lived in smaller communities where most of the people we met in public would be known to us. Large cities and international travel are relatively modern. Certainly medieval man or woman would suffer tremendously if transplanted to a large urban environment. Viewing our fellow man as a potential enemy is also modern. In smaller communities this label would only be placed onto other groups. In a way our worlds have shrunk from community to nuclear family, anything beyond the members of the nuclear family are considered dangerous: stranger danger. I think this is a very sad viewpoint and not one I take.
meera: there is an inherent contradiction in this situation:
"a person who reads in public places and hates being spoken to,".
This person likes reading. They also dislike human interaction while reading. Conclusion: find a private place to read. Question: why is this person reading in public places? The question could become the crux of the story, the situation and reasons leading to why this character reads in public when they hate human interaction while reading. But the simple answer is: find somewhere else, somewhere private to read.
Misinterpret this as you will. Attack what you think my personal situation is. Do what you like.
Zodwallop:
"For those that don't like being talked to on threads either?"
This thread is becoming like the slightly threatening person who asks what you're reading but isn't interested in your reply, instead they harangue you with veiled insults. In this position there is only one course of action: to leave the situation.
There's a difference between this and the garrulous but pleasant old lady on the bus (she might be me, but I don't take buses).
