Why would you boast about that? Or, admitting you have never read a book is not clever

I was at the day job yesterday, casually writing a short story on my break, when I was accosted by one of my co-workers wanting to know why I only worked weekends now and what was I writing. Apart from the great impertinence, although I suspect it was her way of making conversation, I couldn’t really see why I shouldn’t tell her the truth: I’m working part time to fund my reviewing habit, since nobody’s paying me in anything but books at the minute. She then asked about my writing, which is fair enough, but then she shocked me by admitting that she’d never read a book.

I asked why?

Her answer was that she found books boring and when she was reading she was also thinking ‘I should be washing my windows..’

Excuses, excuses.

To add insult to injury she then said ‘If I lived at home with my mother then I suppose I’d have time to sit around and read, but when you have your own place there’s no time for reading.’

I quietly smiled and got on  with writing my story.

The reason I’m rambling on about this is because I wonder, why do people boast about this sort of stuff? Are they proud of it? Are their excuses covers for illiteracy? How is it possible to get to your fifties and never finish a book?

Or perhaps it’s me? Am I weird? Also, when did it become acceptable to insult someone because they like to read? Perhaps she felt that I had been rude to her, or felt threatened by me? I don’t know.

I’ll stop rambling now, but if anyone has any thought’s on the subject I’d be interested to read them? Anyone else get negative comments about their reading or writing habits? How do you react when people say they don’t read?

And on that thought, I’m away to be sociable with my friends.

Rose