I had set off at a decent time for my 10:30 AM bus departure for Newton Abbot, and I was in a cheery mood because my stay in Leicester City was plain sailing and a productive one.

As soon as the bus disembarked from the station, the driver gave a welcome and public announcement about etiquette while on board. However, the woman who sat next to me was discourteous, by engaging in a casual conversation using a hands-free earplug.

I guess one could ask, how much chatter is too much, eh?

An emergency quick call is pardonable, but 2-hours of jibber-jabber is inconsiderate and rude... Uncultured, really, and the real question then becomes "How little chatter, is too much?"

I tuned out the annoying chatter of an incomprehensible foreign language, and I plugged my wireless headset to listen to a few posts using the PeakD function (one that I particularly like). Still, I could hear her tittle-tattle, and I observed other passengers trying to take naps.

Witnessing selfishness causes me to become morose, and puts me into a contemplative mood.

My instinctive responsive

Shut the fuck up.

Was on the tip of my tongue, and experience has shown me that an untalkative direct response can be super effective. However, my intention was not to intimidate her, and my practice of self-control led me to contemplate further.

"Maybe she feels uncomfortable travelling on a bus and chattering calms her anxiety?"

I refrained with all my might from addressing her, because I didn't want to cause her embarrassment. However, I removed my sunglasses to look fixedly at the woman, whose body language showed discomfort, as she lowered her voice. Briefly.

While contemplating, I thought how wonderful it is to be free in society, and I realised that it could be worst... As retaliation could have found me with a cellmate who was a chatterbox.

With that disturbing thought, despite not knowing the reason behind the woman's perpetual chatter, I ate a sandwich I had packed in my bag, as I did not want to add hanger to the equation. That was a great decision, because my level of tolerance increased, and I was able to blow it off.

Yahoo! Like a stroke of good luck, the woman ended the call after 2 hours and 15 minutes of a 3-hour bus ride. She then frantically scrolled social media, before departing the bus 20 minutes before its final destination.

To calm my nerves, I took a quick stroll around Victoria, London, before grabbing a coffee from Starbucks which prepared me for the final 5-hour leg of the journey home, which was also disenchanting as the bus stank of piss.

I was knackered at the end of the journey, but it's great to be back with hubby and my cat was happy to see me. 😍

Thanks for stopping by, and as you might have guessed, all images belong to me:)