The Four Levels of Social Entrapment

[keelywolfe]

This, particularly the first one, is 100% me The Four Levels of Social Entrapment.

There isn't much I hate worse than bumping into someone I knew it high school and being forced to be cheerful and pretend interest in someone I haven't seen in twelve years, particularly if I didn't like them much THEN. Worse, I tend to bump into those people at work and when you're in a retail setting, there ain't no escaping. You just have to sit there and fake a grin while they tell you alllll about their last divorce and their ten kids. (I did not make that up. That really happened.)

You are trapped and no matter how much you make little abortive moves away from them, your eyes darting towards the back room and escape, they ramble on and on, and you keep thinking of all the work you COULD be doing if this person would just let you get in a word edgewise and get some sweet, sweet freedom.

For someone who works with the public, I'm really not that fond of it. *G*

Comments

[mmouse15.livejournal.com]

I totally hear you on that. I go back to my hometown and meet people I went to school with, and I have nothing in common with these people. They had kids right out of high school and are grandparents in their forties, while I'm still raising kids. They're divorced and on their second/third/fourth marriage, and I'm still married to the same guy. They ignored me in high school and made fun of me, and now they want to talk to me? GTFO.

So the one time this happened to me in one of the few retail jobs I had, the head salesperson told me, 'Ask them if you can help them with anything. It reminds them that this isn't a social event, it's a store and we need to sell things to keep in business. Move it from a social footing to a retail footing and regain control.'

Dunno if that helps. I was never good at doing it, but she was amazing at it.

[faremyr.livejournal.com]

*laughing*

Oh, man. Yeah, that's horrible.

I do, however, always look at my watch and say:

"Nice to see you, but I gotta get going. Laters~"

>.>

*is a monster, I know*

[mythologian.livejournal.com]

Amen.

I hate running into people at work and getting trapped by them.

[outofthisplace.livejournal.com]

Hyperbole and a Half is one of the greatest things on the internet. I am constantly citing the "Why I will never be a sucessful adult" post. (Which is.... just amazing)

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

I think this was my single favorite thing about leaving the state; I almost never have to deal with that sort of thing. Ex-coworkers once in a blue moon, but that's it. *relief*