Lol Vanessa.

I'm a terrible eavesdropper too roger, but I'm also a terrible 'dropper' or whatever the verb is for someone who drops snippets of conversation in public places for others to overhear. If I'm chatting to hubby in town and a particularly obtuse piece of information crops up, my voice gets louder so passers by can hear.
I was once queuing for the cash machine and had burnt a couple of fingers which required a daily visit to the nurse to change the dressings, so part of the conversation with hubby went "I went to the nurse this morning and she said Aids was the new syphilis" - at which point hubby whispered in my ear "that bloke behind us almost fell through the shop window when you said that."

I also love chatting to people about their family history, and a lovely old lady this week told me a story which could have come straight off the pages of a Danielle Steel novel.
Her grandmother was brought up on a coconut plantation (I think in Goa). Only child of rich Portugese stock, her father, the plantation owner, was very strict and did not want her mixing with any of the locals - especially not the boys - so she was kept a virtual prisoner in the house.
At the age of 16 she ran away with a drummer in the British army. She kept her surname so presumably they were not married (I believe soldiers were not allowed to marry). She followed him round the world - including to the Boar War; had 4 daughters, was 'widowed' and moved to Madrid to earn a living embroidering dresses for society ladies (quite a come down in social standing for her, but she was determined to support her family). The illegitimacy was a huge family scandel, 'never to be talked about' in her mother's day, and unfortunately all the family documents concerning the Portugese plantation and the Portugese side of the family were destroyed by termites when they buried them in a tin box while out in South Africa.

- NaomiM

Naomi, I think the word you're looking for is eavesdripper!

Maybe you could hire yourself out, pick up delicious snippets of conversation, and sell them to the highest bidder.

Now there's an idea, ZK!

I am terrible at eavesdropping other people's phone conversations and totally getting the wrong end of the stick - i'll be all ears when my kids are teenagers!

Casey

What an amazing story, Naomi!

the Boar War

Would that be wild boars, Naomi?

Lol guys.

As the old lady told me the story I told her she must write it down for future generations, but she just shook her head and said 'nobody would be interested'; there was nothing I could say that would convince her otherwise.

That lady's story sounds spellbinding - I guess it's just ordinary to her, so she thinks it's not interesting.

I eavesdrop. And I'm clearly getting more shameless: I had to reassess my innate belief that I am a polite and well-mannered person the other day, when I shamelessly turned my ipod down to listen to a couple row on the train...

I'm sorry if I'm being slow, but what does TC stand for?

what does TC stand for?

Roger Morris's book Taking Comfort, published by Macmillan New Writing.

As opposed to R. N. Morris's book A Gentle Axe, published by Faber.

Long and inspiring story.

Emma

I guess it's just ordinary to her, so she thinks it's not interesting

I think part of the problem was the 4 daughters were so embarrassed by the whiff of illegitimacy that the details were not discussed and so most were lost. The lady didn't think there was enough information to piece it all back together again - obviously not a writer, then

Hey Roger.

Your habit reminded me of my little sister. The only girl in a house of teenage boys, she was the worst eavesdropper in the universe. That was, until I caught her out by complaining to my mum about Georgie's 'listening in'.

Red faced and enraged, my sister flew out from behind the curtain and wailed 'I am NOT an eavesdropper!!!'

I think the ensuing laughter cured her for life.

JB

It is not just everdropping, and eavesdripping, but I an also guilty of saying the most inappropriate things at inappropriate moments. One would think I would be cured of putting my foot in it, but I blunder on regardless.
My most embarrassing FIM incident occurred in January during a Carol Service when a friend sitting in the pew next to me pointed to a gentleman walking back down the aisle and said 'he's so-and-so's father'. to which I replied 'Oh, yes, I know him. His wife was having an affair with the man accused of attempting to murder two of her boyfriends', at which point I recieved a sharp nudge in the ribs and my friend hissed 'she's sitting in the row behind us'.

It is not just everdropping, and eavesdripping, but I an also guilty of saying the most inappropriate things at inappropriate moments. One would think I would be cured of putting my foot in it, but I blunder on regardless.
My most embarrassing FIM incident occurred in January during a Carol Service when a friend sitting in the pew next to me pointed to a gentleman walking back down the aisle and said 'he's so-and-so's father'. to which I replied 'Oh, yes, I know him. His wife was having an affair with the man accused of attempting to murder two of her boyfriends', at which point I recieved a sharp nudge in the ribs and my friend hissed 'she's sitting in the row behind us'.

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Ooops, double clicked and accidentally posted this twice.

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I love Kevin Whately's anecdote about John Gielgud, (on the set of Morse), who, after spending 5 days mistaking him for someone from Kennith Brannagh's repetoire company, finally asked 'You're not working with Brannagh, are you?' When Whately said 'No' Gielgud exclaimed 'Oh, good. He's such a a little shit.'

That's hilarious, JB. And so is that, Naomi!

Naomi, I also suffer from foot-in-mouth disease, but I try not to pry into other people's conversations. They say eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves, don't they? Still, you hear some funny stories on the bus.

JB

but I try not to pry into other people's conversations

That is an anathema to me JB.