Panera Bread and Personal Space...

I've been making it a pretty regular habit that after my Thursday morning mens' Bible study that I stay at Panera Bread and do some work. For a couple of reasons: first, because they have pretty decent hazelnut coffee. But second because it's usually pretty quiet and third, I usually have reading to catch up on.

Well, I should have known better this morning. It's Spring Break here... so there were more people coming through the doors of Panera Bread and actually staying. And I've never been great at being able to concentrate and read when there is significant distraction.

But this morning was a different story.

We meet in a little conference room for our group. When our group is over, I typically stay in there but I leave the doors open. Most of the time, a couple of people have come in and pulled up a table and proceeded to do computer work, read or even take an occasional phone call.

This morning I was reading for class on Saturday (of which I have 15 pages left!!! Yay!!!). And this fellow walks in, looks at me, recognizes that I am reading, then plops down about 10 feet away. No big deal. But then another guy joins him and they begin to have a very loud (and I'm not shooting for exaggeration... I mean so loud that people outside of this little room were looking to see what was happening).

Now, I'm thinking: "You see someone reading... You know that you're loud... You know that you're going to be having a meeting. Why not pick a table AWAY FROM THE READER!!!!" But it's almost like he chose the opposite. Intentionally placing himself near the reader.

I read about 500 words and then left.

So I'm thinking about asking Panera Bread to put up a little sign that says... "Please be respectful of others... we're all trying to use this space together." Unbelievable!!!

Jim