Nosy people at Starbucks

There are people that stare. Then there are people that STARE.STARE.STARE.STARE. STARE.STARE. STARE.STARE.STARE. This dude was one of those. What do you do when people stare in public? And bopping them on the snoot is not an option?

Every now and again, I repair to the Starbucks near our office (yes, occasionally I cheat on my regular Starbucks) with a friend (or two) and we get a coffee and relax in the sheer joy of being outside the cubicle farm. The very sameness of two acres of blank white walls (corporate directive - nothing on the walls) can drive you insane. So can 45 phones ringing at once (blame the brilliant mind that bought cubicles that only came up about three feet.

Anyway. I'm literally just sitting down with my salted caramel hot chocolate (it might be 92 degrees out, but that scm is de-li-cious) and my friend is enjoying an iced version.

We're like 30 seconds into the conversation and my friend stops and .... nods slowly. I try not to be obvious and look over.

This man is eavesdropping like we're discussing the Pentagon Papers or something. Possibly nuclear secrets. Or the Colonel's secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices. If his head was cocked any more, he'd fire a bullet right out his ass.

Not only that, he's about to fall off his chair.

We get up and leave.

I can feel those hot black eyes on my back all the way out the door. Take a picture dude. It lasts longer.

This was ... allegedly ... a pseudo professional. Expensive-looking black slacks, possibly wool or high-quality cotton. They looked nice. Crisp white shirt. Cuff links. New-ish looking BlackBerry, so he was probably in some sort of corporate environment (they love the BBs). A briefcase and a stack of folders in rubber bands on the table. Plus a legal pad and a pen.

I thought he was waiting on a client or something. Maybe a realtor or financial advisor.

Maybe he was an undercover CIA agent.

Maybe he was just really nosy.

At least when I eavesdrop, I have the courtesy to look at my screen and type what you're gabbling about. Damn. People need to learn - the art of being nosy is to NOT LOOK NOSY.

So. How do YOU manage to hear (or over-hear) interesting things?