Letter to You

To: The two women at Starbuck's who chatted loudly while I was CLEARLY trying to work (and there first), and trying desperately to ignore your inane conversation while I tried to read about feminist reader response theory and how it could change the world.

When you loudly (despite that you clearly thought you were being covert) read your Visa number over the cell phone to someone, all the while peeking suspiciously over your shoulder at me, while your friend giggled, and I again tried my best to ignore your blatant rudeness, IF I had wanted to, I would so have gotten your credit card number. Yes, I was sitting with my five dollar coffee and chocolate chip cookie, with my laptop, several books, and pad of paper and pen. Yes, I was in a suburban mall's Starbucks, normal-looking and tricked out in my sterling silver, platinum earrings, and other various trappings of middle-class respectability. But I could have gotten your damn number cause you were sitting, like, two feet away from me! I simply didn't need or want your damned credit card number, so what was the point of acting as though I was just sitting there, lying in wait to write it down and go on a spending spree on E-bay?

If you're soooo worried about a woman hearing your conversation, here's a little tip. Take. Your. Damned. Phone. Conversation. Elsewhere. If you're having a "private" phone conversation in the middle of a public place, you have no right to glare at me because I might overhear you. Public cell phone conversation does not equal right to privacy.

And don't think I was too stupid to notice your little surreptitious glances, and the glee of your friend as you made me the butt of your blockheaded jokes. As I said earlier-- we were like two feet away from each other.

Please don't anyone else make my current misanthropic mood any worse. Why am I trying to bother to read about feminist theoretical world-shattering rhetoric to write my "change the world" dissertation when ungrateful bimbos in medical scrubs while NOT at work are being rude in Starbuck's? What's the fucking point?!

At least the guy in the work t-shirt, smoking furiously and gesturing wildly while on his phone conversation, had the grace to take it outside.