Mind Games

[Gravekeeper]

See the problem is that it's actually often seen by people as more rude to acknowledge them for the sole purpose to let them know you will be ignoring them.

Yep. As a long time user of transit I have been subjected to said scenario many times. Every now and then there's always some dickhead that for some reason thinks the Skytrain/Bus is the perfect place to randomly make new friends. Even if said people are clearly not even remotely interested in conversation and are napping, reading, listening to music, etc.

I just flat out ignoring them and refuse to make eye contact. When I try to be polite and tactful, they get into an even bigger snit about how I dare not want to chat it up with some random asshole on the bus. Though I will add an addendum:

When these fuckers, after failing to make conversation with you, will literally turn to someone else and loudly complain about you to them. Knowing full well you can hear every word. Like, somehow, you're the asshole here.

Though I find whenever someone like this is on public transit, they're in their own magic little world where every stranger is just someone waiting with bated breath for the opportunity to become their friend. They usually have utterly no luck with anyone around them unless there's another cockjawed yokel nearby that lives in the same world.

I've had people on transit try to strike up conversation with me when I'm obviously asleep or trying to be. Then had them turn to the next person and go "I guess he doesn't want to talk to me. Man, what's his problem? Right?".

My problem is I work a night shift and I'm trying to relax and sneak in a nap on my way to work. So you can go fuck yourself. >.>

[blas87]

I like to talk to cashiers or people out and about, I don't hold up the line or crack cheesy jokes, but I do like to give hints that I'm not an SC and that I appreciate their help and whatnot. Sometimes just asking them back how they are or how their day has been, whatnot.

[Gravekeeper]

I like to talk to cashiers or people out and about, I don't hold up the line or crack cheesy jokes, but I do like to give hints that I'm not an SC and that I appreciate their help and whatnot. Sometimes just asking them back how they are or how their day has been, whatnot.

That's just being polite though. I'm referring to people that are going out of their way to purposefully get in yours on the off chance you'll want to talk to a total stranger today for absolutely no reason. Especially when the person is clearly doing something else that would preclude said conversation.

If I'm on the bus with my head down, eyes closed. Don't fucking sit down and start talking to me. Then get in a snit when I ignore you for blatantly obvious reasons. If I have headphones on. Fark off. If I'm reading a book. Fark off. I don't want to talk to you. I don't know who you are and I sure as Hell didn't make eye contact with you the moment you came over and offered to shake your hand. I didn't acknowledge your presence in any way shape or form or even realize you existed before you opened your mouth.

Its just farkin' rude. On the sidewalk you can just walk away from someone that does this. But on transit, you're now trapped with this dickhead for however long it takes for you to arrive at your destination.

[jackfaire]

My problem is I work a night shift and I'm trying to relax and sneak in a nap on my way to work. So you can go fuck yourself. >.>

Thank god so good to know I am not alone. My problem with these people is I just spent 8 hours talking to customers and having to be nice even to the jerks so i am not feeling particularly social.

[Kaylyn]

Oh, you gotta love the folks that think that just because you're standing in line next to them, or sitting with them on the bus/train/plane/whatever makes you automatically best friends. I HATE talking to strangers, so when I was standing in line at Subway, this older black man tries to talk to me. I just sorta smile and nod and try to ignore him while still being somewhat polite. Then he glares at me and says, "Oh, so you don't wanna talk to n***ers." I gawked at him, and said, "No, it's not that, I have social anxiety issues. I don't wanna talk to ANYBODY I don't have to." I think he mumbled something to the Sandwich Artist (TM) about me, but I could tell she was also only being as polite as she had to be. Even funnier because she was also black, but he didn't notice she was acting the same way I was towards him. Guess it's only rude if it's a white girl snubbing you.

[blas87]

I agree, I hate that too.

Unfortunately, something about me always attracts the nuts. I either get the tin foil hat people of all ages who banter on and on about politics or something I'm not comfortable talking about in public, or I am always a target for annoying brats screaming at the top of their lungs and trying to talk to me. Or the skeeviest men you can imagine, who lick their lips or go "Mmmm MMM!" while looking at me, and try to chat me up. You? Go drive that car of yours into a train. Go away.

How come I just keep pulling these right out of my ass?

The people who, at one time or another, you weren't there for them. It wasn't an emergency. They just wanted to talk. But you were asleep or at the movies or whatever you were doing. So, every time before they start a conversation at this time, they text you "You awake?" and you just know, you can just sense, they are being dry and rude with that question, like they expect you aren't going to answer. Hey, guess what? I don't "abide" by a schedule to talk to others. I try to be around when I know you may be on break or going to work, but I am not going to force myself to stay awake and I'm not going to NOT make plans because you will want to talk. I don't deserve that type of "punishment" for having a life.

[jackfaire]

I made the mistake once of wearing a shirt that said, "Top 20 ways to be Antisocial" I thought that combined with my head phones and the book in my hand sent a message pretty clearly.

This girl comes up wanting to read my shirt. Her boyfriend got it she didn't.

He said, "He probably doesn't want anyone bothering him" at which point I wanted to hug him cuz I was sure he was a kindred spirit who got the wanting to be left alone thing.

She said, "Nah no one wears a shirt like this unless they want people to come up to them. "

Yeah I don't wear that shirt on antisocial days anymore.

[blas87]

No one can read my shirts anymore at work, since I started having to wear a frock over it (anti-static properties, though I'm unsure exactly how effective they are after being washed 10000x). It's been kind of a relief anyway, people used to make comments about reading my boobs or asking why I wore shirts with writing across the chest. Sorry, didn't realize only flat girls were allowed to wear shirts with words on them.

[Greenday]

Sorry, didn't realize only flat girls were allowed to wear shirts with words on them.

Sometimes I get dirty looks when I read stuff on a woman's shirt. It's like they forget what shirt they wore that day.

[blas87]

Still doesn't give a guy any right to giggle and go "teehee I can read your boobs!"

[blas87]

Errp.

How unfair. Some people need a lifetime supply of Prozac. Or a trip to the lighthouse.

You get all butthurt when someone is upfront and says something you say or do is annoying. Well, yeah, it's understandable, but hey, if you care, you'll make things work.

Or, you can just turn it around and start being really verbose back at that person about things they say/words they use that you don't like.

Yeah, and all I did was tell that person, jokingly, was that I must be hilarious because they respond to everything I say with "lol". That warranted the cold shoulder for a good few hours

I made the horrific mistake of using a phrase that this person hates, simply because someone they hated as a KID (hint hint, I didn't know about this before!) used to always say it. So, just so wonderful timing, let's get it all out in the open, I get told "You know, I HATE it when you say that! This kid I used to hate always said that!"

Oh wait, could this also been an extension of my "punishment" for daring to be asleep when you texted me? I know, how dare I be asleep when you want to talk, because you're always there for me. Hey, guess what? I don't stay up all night every night. I never told you I would.

[jackfaire]

When I was younger if I wanted to say that my mom's idea was not a good one it was almost impossible to do. Apparentlly her mom used to call her stupid so I wasn't allowed to say the bad idea she was putting forth was bad, stupid, or any variation of we shouldn't do it.

"hey we should jump off the bridge"

Uhm shit what words can I say "Uhm mom that is a brilliant idea we shouldn't do it"

[blas87]

Oh yeah. Not being allowed to say anything negative to/about someone.

Usually, they are allowed to do it back to you, though.

I hate people who have no qualms about flapping gum and saying "I hate when you do that!", but if you get upset about it, they back down, get all victim-ish, and wonder why you got upset.

Gee, you say something that would provoke a person, ya wonder why they'd respond in such a way?

[Rageaholic]

How about pouty acceptances of defeat?

Like let's say I'm arguing about which restaurant to eat at. I want to go to Olive Garden, but they want to go somewhere else. Eventually they relent, but they act like you just kicked them in the balls. "FINE! I GUESS we're going to Olive Garden! *pout*. Sometimes they'll even go the extra mile and leave the room in a dramatic fashion.

I hate this because if you end up going to Olive Garden, you feel like an asshole, but if you don't, they win by being one.

[blas87]

I could eat Olive Garden every day for a month straight and always be happy. You used a bad, bad example, friend.

My family will plan a dinner, and ask where I want to go, but immediately say "NOT Olive Garden, blas!" and I guess I pout, lol.

I totally get what you're saying, though.

I hate the "Where do you wanna go?" "Up to you." "No, up to you." "Your turn, I picked last time." "No, you get to pick." "No, you pick." "Ok, you're not gonna like it, but Wendy's." "Oh, Wendy's is good."

And they seem like they fully intended on picking somewhere you wouldn't like. Man, if you're paying, I'll eat ANYTHING but raw fish and undercooked meat.