Choose A Seat

[teacake44]

You walk into a park, or any public space for that matter, there are two benches, and you would like to sit for a time, the one bench as one person already sitting down. Do you choose the empty bench to sit on, or sit next to the person on the other. And the reason for your choice.

[teacake44]

Mamyalynne, could you possibly elaborate.

[gness]

Well that’s me scuppered for a seat then......I’d have to find a shady tree..... :-(

[Mamyalynne]

It's seems common sense really, if you decide wrongly of course and it becomes clear the other person wants solitude, I'd move.

[teacake44]

gness, when you arrived the sun had gone down, what's your choice?

[mallyh]

if the occupied seat was the nearest i'd sit there especially if it was an old person as they quite often like a chat ,some I've spoken to say i'm the only person they have spoken to that day and actually thank me which they have no need to x

[teacake44]

Mamyalynne, how would you know all that until you sat by them

[Mamyalynne]

erm, ah. oh gosh - could you take that bright light out of my eyes?


Instinct followed by a gentle greeting - take it from there.

Do you find socialising difficult?

[gness]

Teacake.....I would go for the unoccupied bench. I’m quite sociable but wary......you can guarantee that the numpty in town will home in on me so I don’t go looking for them.
And I like lots of time on my own so that is probably why I would be in the park...that and to hug a tree... :-)

[aelmpvw]

knowing my luck i'd sit on the empty seat and the person on the other one would come across to me

[mallyh]

I promise I won't come over to your bench aelmpvw x

[gness]

But I just might, Mally........ :-)

[aelmpvw]

:-)

[david small]

Empty bench. Misanthropic by nature.

[derek-33]

teacake44
Mamyalynne is probably like me years of working with the public in nhs ,i can read people and a few seconds if they are aprocable or not .body language and all that,

[teacake44]

So there's still two benches, but one of them is under a tree, and there's lots of bird droppings on that one, but the one that the person is sitting on is clean. What now?

[Zacs-Master]

Now you’ve entered the realms of fantasy. As opposed to idle, pointless speculation.

[pixie374]

I'd always go for the empty bench if possible. If there was some reason not to, I would tell the person on the bench and apologise. They would either start chatting or not, depending what they wanted.

[gness]

Ahhh.....that changes things......I would want to watch the birds so I would have to sit on the occupied bench.......talking loudly to myself and perhaps singing so the person there would leave...x

[Zacs-Master]

So you’re the person who came and sat next to me in St Stephens Green!

[DarceyK123]

I dont get enough time to myself so I'd go for the empty bench for my own benefit and also to respect the other persons personal space.