Space Invaders

So my job relocated to a new office building. There are several other companies that occupy the building. The cafeteria is a large one and has seating for about 250 people (if I had to take a guess). There is a partition wall in the middle, for what reason I have no idea.. but there are two 'sides' to the cafeteria.

I went to lunch one day alone. Let me backtrack.. In our previous building , I was close enough to go home for lunch . I had just enough time to get home, eat and get back. I don't have that luxury now. The first day I went down to the new cafeteria to eat, I was a little bit freaked. I have never , in my 36 years, eaten in a 'public' place alone. I always see people doing that and feel sorry for them. I don't know why, but I do. Anyway, I went down and took my book. I ate, read and I managed to live through it. The next day I did the same. I now LOVE to sit alone and eat. Here's why...


The other day, I was sitting minding my business in a nearly empty cafeteria ( there was about 6 people in the whole place.. I went to lunch late) . A girl, that I have never seen in my life and is assumingly from one of the other offices) came in, sat down about 3 feet from me to eat. Now there is NOOOOO one in there and she could have sat ANYWHERE. She didn't speak , wasn't trying to make conversation, didn't look at me , just sat there all up in my face , chewing like a complete and 'utter' cow. I couldn't concentrate on my book with the lips smacking and that fact that she was sitting right next to me. I closed my book after a few minutes and quietly walked away.

The next day , I went to the other side of the partition and sat, thinking if I was back in the corner I would be safe.. Nope.. same thing happened again. Only a different person. Why? I don't understand why people wouldn't want to have their own space???? Maybe people just want to feel like people are around? It's very weird to me.

The NEXT day, I sat. A woman I work with came and asked if I minded if she sat with me. I said ' Sure! Sit down'. I didn't mind the company or so I thought. Halfway through, another male co-worker came and saw us and took a seat. This particular person is a nice guy but after one previous encounter of witnessing him eating, I had no desire to repeat the experience. LUCKILY, my time was about up and I made a graceful exit.

So today, I went down and really thought I was safe.. I saw a few people but they were finishing up or already in place so I just kept moving to find a seat since I now enjoy the quiet time. I didn't even have half an ass cheek on the booth before another woman I work with asked if she could sit with me. She came out of NOWHERE!!! She said she wouldn't sit if I didn't want her to because I had a book and she didn't want to interrupt. Of course I told her to sit. I'm not anti-people. I know she is kind of a lonely woman so the company would make her happy. SO she sat ... all was fine.... with the exception of a few pieces of food flying out of her mouth.

I really like sitting alone.. Never in a million years would I think I would have ever said that. But I look forward to that short half hour of the day. I look forward to being that person that people look at and think 'aw poor thing eating all alone'. Now if I could just get the damn chance to do it, I would be a happy girl!!!!