yesterday was a rainy night so the place around the corner was empty except for me and this table of 14. i was taking notes on the night, and so the only people to watch were the people who worked there and that table of people. at one point, i just sat staring at them.

after a few minutes, i noticed a guy in the middle of the table was staring back. and he was also mirroring me--chin in his hand, thumb out.

interesting.

so i kept staring but i didn't focus on him, just on the table in general though i was watching him. i shifted my hand and he did as well.

okay, so i knew i definitely had his attention. but did he have mine?

i knew he wasn't sure if i was looking at him or someone else.

then...he yawned.

i laughed inside. the social yawn. by the mysteries of human nature, often when people yawn, others who see it will yawn as well. for a split second i thought, maybe he's not looking at me because a guy never yawns when a girl may be watching him. unless he's testing to see if i am watching him, because i would have yawned, too.

but because i was conscious of this, i didn't yawn, just kept looking in that direction, watching.

he looked around, like he was trying to figure out who i was looking at since his test had failed.

but i was watching him.

that was interesting. i managed to watch someone without him being sure that i was watching him by being conscious of what would normally be subconscious mirroring, and not doing it.