Would You Ask Someone For Their Paper?
Many years back my secret vice used to the the Enquirer, Star, and Weekly World News. I'm talking the days when all three were into Elvis sightings and aliens, not celebrity gossip like nowadays. I'd board my flights with my passel of sleeze-papers, and more than once a fellow passenger actually asked me for them when I was done (which I presume they figured out from watching me read through, then stick it in the seatback pocket). I didn't mind and have always happily handed them over, but it surprised me that someone would ask a stranger. It even seems odd that they would watch closely enough to see when I am done. I don't think I'd be comfortable asking unless the other person was obviously preparing to discard the item. So would you ask someone for their paper (newspaper, not just ragsheets)? Has anyone ever asked you? Or do I just look like an "inviting" person?
Of course, I also had a teenager flying with a school sports team walk up to my luggage pile, sift through, and take my paper OUT of my bag, but that's another story. I had my back turned but fortunately caught sight of him and I'm sure he still has scars from red hot scatching words that flew from my lips to his ears as I snatched my property back.