A bad mannered eavesdropper

I printed out J2R's gripe and left it on a co-worker's desk. An occasional eaves-drop does not bother me, but I have a co-worker who has made a career out of it. He even interrupts me when I am on a phone conversation to offer tidbits of info he thinks the person on the other end of the phone needs! He can't even hear the other person, yet he thinks he knows what they need! Talk about the epitome of self-grandiose behavior. He once argued with me after I got off a call. He asked, "Were you talking about a Catholic Mass?" I said, "No." He then said, "I know you said something about a Catholic Mass, do you need to find a church?" I said, "No, I was not talking about a Catholic Mass." Then says, "I know you said something about a Catholic Mass-- I know a good website to find mass times." And on and on...

Repeat this scenario several times a day, and it starts to get annoying.

He also once sent an e-mail after a phone conversation I had. I was talking to a lower-level co-worker on the phone about an issue in his department. The eavesdropper then immediately sent an e-mail to my boss about the lower-level worker's issue. The e-mail was written as if the eavesdropper had witnessed the issue himself, when in fact I had witnessed the issue and already rectified the situation with the lower level worker himself. The eavesdropper was trying to score points with the boss. This is just plain annoying an irritating.

A while ago I was in a resturant, talking with a friend about children and the upcoming birth of my child (being heavily pregnant is something that solicits advice from randome people anyway). Someone at a table behind us came over to our table and gave us HIS views on how I should give birth after hearing me discuss it with my friend. He said that he has a few kids and really knows 'all about this baby stuff'' and that I was making bad choices. First, I didn't let it bother me because my husband and I are confident in our choices, but what a personal thing to butt into. The man didn't look the sort you'd want to take child rearing advice from anyway. Then as he was leaving, he reached over and RUBBED MY BELLY, brushing against my breast as he removed his hand. In shock, I said (rather loudly) 'don't touch me!' and the whole resturant looked and he reddened accordingly. The manager came over and asked him to leave and I got free pudding. So I suppose its not all bad.

To alaneroberts I say:
I think you if you asked the "butt-inner" why they did it, they quite probably would claim "a desire to 'help' one of their fellow human beings and (be) socially interactive."

However I see this in the same category as unsolicited advice from a stranger. The answer may be right, and the advice might even be really good, but the manner in which it is offered usually dilutes the message and reflects poorly on the social awareness of the stranger.

I agree with you. I had a similar experience today, and feel the same things.

I had a colleague come to my cube today to ask a travel question, and before he could finish asking me the question, the guy in the cubicle next to me got up, butted in, and answered it. It was a travel question, and the colleague had spent 1 week in the country-in-question, while I had spent 5 months. I thought it was extremely rude, and while eavesdropping in a cubicle environment is unavoidable, (and perhaps even by design), jumping into it in such a manner is offensive

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So? Why don't you slower your voice. I'm sick of loud-mouthed people talking in public. If you want a private conversation, turn down the volume. Easy really, but expect you're too busy sounding off.

Having travelled to America recently, it is pretty much impossible NOT to eavesdrop. Americans are so incredibly LOUD when having a conversation. However, they are a great people having said that!

Humans are social animals and, in certain circumstances, it is quite natural to eavesdrop. Instead of viewing this in such a negative sense, the initiator of this topic may be better to view someone "butting-in" as a desire to 'help' one of their fellow human beings and socially interactive.

J2R, you need to lighten up a bit.

RuuuEUuude, yes, but there are many people these days that are very-very... very lonely. And there those who are just plain dumb. As it is these days (in America) it's not English anymore so the few who can jump into another conversation will at the expense of idiotisy just to say hi.

You'll never know when or where you'll meet a true level-headed scientist, I did, & in a bar. Hours & hours & more hrs. we talked. We ended up on quantum physics & what light waves energy is, his specialties. I gave him a few things to think about... and I'm just a painter at high school level! Yes they were realistic thoughts, not like that "opportunistic blurting" person.

But then,... you'll never know if you keep quiet.

Have fun people... life is shorter than you think.

It was silly of the person to give such a dumb answer,yeah, but if you were talking in a group of people perhaps the rude person didnt realise it was a conversation limited to just the two of you?
If you're in a group of people isnt it normally assumed that anyone can join the conversation at any point?