> he runs the bookstore solely to overhear people's conversations This is a really weird thing to come away with. Hell, I remember as mobile phones were starti

> he runs the bookstore solely to overhear people's conversations This is a really weird thing to come away with. Hell, I remember as mobile phones were starting to become popular, there were more than a few comedians that had "how irritating it is to hear one half of a conversation" as part of their acts. It's not about eavesdropping, it's about a broken cadence.