So If I'm NOT One of Those, What Am I?

I originally titled this post "Voyeur" which is a word I've used to describe myself quite frequently, unfortunately.  I paused to google image something to snazz up the post, and THAT is when we entered deep deep water.  Back away from the computer and DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT search that word!  Sheesh...Pushing 60 and no one ever corrected me????  Come on, people!  I've used the word to describe myself as someone who looks over the shoulder of one and all to see what they're reading.  I've also used that word to describe my innocent eavesdropping of strangers.  And no one has ever called me on it!!  Maybe that is innocence on your part as well.  We'll assume that.  Paco and I just returned from a jaunt to tweak cheeks in MD.  It was all very wonderful and mind-expanding and soul-searching--by-products of any good vacation--sites aside.  Back to my point.  Yesterday we were on an early morning short bus trip taking us and about 30 other United Airlines displace-ees (mechanical difficulties cancelled flights Sunday eve) from our night's lodgings  to Dulles.  Mind you this is pre-dawn when most people are slurring and shuffling--barely human.  I noted a young handsome family of 6 sitting directly in front of me.  But what really caught my attention (because I was fairly alert and had my busybody radar up) was the conversation the father was having with his ten-ish year old son.  I heard the words:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Tiberius.  Come again!!!  This father was explaining some eschatological concept?  Pre-dawn?  10 year old?  Bus?  So I "stalked" these folks through security and then lost them.  But what I did observe was phenomenal, and I pause to make note of it here:

• each child pulled their own carry on
• the 3-ish year old in the stroller calmly played with a hand-held electronic something or other
• the father engaged in pleasant conversation with several around him
• the mother passed hand signals to her husband and children which they immediately interpreted and obeyed
• no one whined
• the two brothers joked around a little, obviously delighted in each other
• the father joined in their laughter
• ALL were interested and engaged in the experience
• they had obviously done this before--pro's
• they seemed to glow

This may not be that unusual in your circles.  Maybe ALL the families you see run like Fortune 500 companies.  But I don't see it too often.  It delighted me--gave me some faith.

Then later in the day on yet another bus to long-term parking in Salt Lake I couldn't help but hear another conversation.  One woman was describing to another an encounter with the mother of what sounded to be the stepchild of the narrator.  The mother had shown up at a doctor's appointment for the child that morning dressed in short black shorts, a lime green tank top with hot pink underthings showing through large holes.  She had silver jewel-studded boots and was garishly make-upped as well.  The gist of the story involved negligent diabetes monitoring of the child on custodial weekends and huge denial on the part of the mother.  The stepmother telling the story was just beside herself. Furthermore, the clueless mother is now working for her attorney!  That doesn't sound good for the child, the father OR the stepmother!   Little human dramas all around us.

So if I zoom in on strangers' conversations, and follow people with my eyes, and know way too much about intimate details of lives I'll never cross again...what is that called????  And if you say "busybody" I'll never talk to you again.