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karen mcpherson's avatar

My favorite place is anywhere open where I can walk my dog; parks, nature centers, battlefields, places like that. You can't help but see how people interact with each other, how they treat their own dogs, how they interact with you without saying a word. Nothing creepy about this one. If you have a dog, you have to pay attention to avoid people who don't seem to like dogs or people with dogs who have no control over them. While you're at it, you might as well notice how they dress, are they walking like their feet hurt or like they are enjoying the walk, etc. The list just goes on and on about the things you can notice.

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M. A. Porter's avatar

My husband and I fell in love because on our very first date 27 years ago, we disclosed this mutual, hidden habit of spying a couple at an event, or restaurant, and creating a story about them, their respective backgrounds, what was going on in their respective lives in that moment we were surreptitiously observing them, what they as a couple were trying to resolve. Sometimes it was two friends, youngsters hanging out, well-aged lovers, teens on prom night, of all races, etc. We weren't always in accord in our storytelling, but we naturally fell into a "yes, and ..." rhythm. I think this is how we got to know each other enough to eventually get married, each of us having been through a wickedly painful first marriage before we met, vowing never again.

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