Young Writers Society

Personally, I have alot of fun people-watching. Usually, I write down a long string of thoughts relating to the person I'm observing (it's especially amusing if the person you're watching realizes you're watching them); it helps one to pick up eccentricites of people and describe them more than: "he had brown hair. And was wearing a suit." Anyone have any people-watching scenarios they'd like to share?

I'll go first:

He's still talking on his cell phone, as he has been since I sat down. People walk through the door, and it seems to stir up the air in the entry; he moves to the center of the floor, and continues his conversation animatedly, looking intently at the tiles below his feet.

He listens now, the agitated speech balanced out by his standing stock still, looking out the window, though there's nothing particularly interesting out there, I'm looking outside too. He stands, looking straight ahead, hand on hip, phone to ear, much like the rest of the people around. He's pacing again, and looks up every once and a while, this time catching me looking in his direction. He talks faster, now in a punctuated voice and without a breath for the last four minutes now. Then a long pause.

He's not too far away, no more than twenty feet, but the background noise of the library and the stone construction of the entryway allow me to hear no more than muffled words. I wonder if he'd be honoured to know he's the first person I've observed. I wonder if he'd think it's weird. A curt goodbye, a snap of a cell phone, and I look up, but I can't see him anymore.

Just a note: People watching is actually quite interesting (creepy, but we all do it). I love to watch people and try to make a life from them. Like, I'll go sit in the cafe and watch a guy sitting across the room on a computer or writing or on the phone and I'll try to guess his life--who he is, where he comes from, where does he work, is he married, does he have kids, has he lived here all his life, does he live here now.....it's fun. The best stories come from these moments.

Yes, I suppose it is a little creepy... but such fun!

Wow, I've never thought of writing down what I see when I people watch (and I do it all the time). What a great idea. I want to start doing that right away.

write me wrote:I love to watch people and try to make a life from them.

Ye, I do that. Until they turn around and see me staring. Then I go red and hide behind the menu! XD

"I watched her as she watched him watch me. And i wondered why I was watching her while she was watching him and while he was watching me. She was pretty, he wasn't all that attractive and neither was I at least not towards a guy, maybe he was gay."

Sometimes I do. I've never recorded it though.

When I'm with someone and they're dogging out somebody they don't know (like the guy behind the desk or the driver in front of them) I usually make up reasons why the person's acting the way they are.

It's weird.

But what's really fun is if they realize you're watching them, and you just smile like a freak. Or let your mouth hang open and widen your eyes.

Write me, that's exactly what I do. Exactly, to a t. I love trying to make up people's backstories and what will happen for them. It's so exciting, and a great way to relieve boredom!

Haha it is! I used to do it at work, but I found I was thinking about the story and not doing my job--besides, you get more out of watching someone at a coffee shop who has no idea you are watching them then you do someone staring right at you lol.