THIS IS US
Why I’m Grateful That Eavesdropping Is Back
When social distance closes, we get to remember that we’re all in this mess of life together
Among the countless reasons to get vaccinated, eavesdropping might not rank high on your list, but in my humble opinion it’s an underrated reward for safely closing the gap imposed by social distancing. During those long months of lockdown, I sorely missed the little gems like this one, which I plucked from a passing conversation during my morning beach walk the other day:
“He’s always texting on the toilet.”
“We’re back!” I feel like shouting when these tidbits float into earshot. “Fair warning, we’re listening!”
But that hardly seems necessary. Whether talking into cellphones or to live companions, most everybody who’s out and about now seems proud to broadcast their thoughts. It’s as if the long months of being cooped up — or perhaps of shouting to be heard on Zoom — have made privacy passé.
As a writer always craving new material and inspiration, I am sincerely grateful.
Little stories everywhere
On the jetty the other day, I heard an elderly man wooing an elderly woman, who might have been his wife, a…
