One of us. One of us.

I've been experiencing an increasingly annoying phenomenon. While reading a book, people, whether at work, in elevators, or on the train, tend to ask if it's any good. Lately, I've been doing alot of repeat reading, so my answer is usually "It's good, but I've read it before."

This is when the conversation turns dire. The questioner gives me the "Why would you read a book a second time?" look, at which point I offer up guiltily, "I'm a reader." This is always a mistake. Usually the response to that is just to repeat my statement: "Oh. You're a reader", their voice drippping with near palpable disdain. It's the same tone you'd use to say "Oh. You have leprosy," or "Oh. You have a dead man's liver in your shirt pocket."

I tend to believe their unspoken message is "What? Is that book really a good replacement for human interaction?" To those silent querents, my answer is, no, it's not a good replacement for human interaction. However, it is a good replacement for interaction with humans like you.