Describing It

Two small observations and then I will get back to torturing myself attempting to work. One, while walking on the inside circuit of the park, I noted without changing anything the fact that when I take walks, I go far, far out of my way to avoid the moment of eye contact when you have to say, 'morning. I attempt to walk on people-free sidewalks. I feel resentful toward the lone woman walking the baby whose path intercepts mine unexpectedly, and the older cheery guy with the cap who attempts to catch my eye 100 yards too early and whom I must actively avoid by looking at the sky. Feels as though eye contact is some kind of social necessity, their pupils burning like a laser into my happy solitude. Want to turn on them snarling after the jaunty "'morning" obligates me to speak. People suck!

Do you do this too?

And then, too, the activity of pumping blood through my limbs activates the benedryl from last night, and the light of the sun through the clouds appears overexposed, too flat and white.

Comments

[bunny]

Oh, yes. Yes, I do.

[qp]

oh yes. definitely. It is nice to live in a city where there are so many people that the most expected of you is to turn up the corner of your scowly hundred-yard stare into a slight half-smile, and make eye contact for a second.

[savtadotty]

Too bad you're so far from New York City, where avoiding eye contact while you walk is The Done Thing. In Tel Aviv, the only place where I can avoid eye contact (except with ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, who are not supposed to make eye contact with women except for mother, wife, and daughters), is in my own home...but then up jumps my dog who loves to have staring contests with me.

[Robin]

Actually, you made me just remember a trip to Glacier Park (beautiful!) with my not yet husband. We came across so many people on one trail, that I declared I had run out of "hi's!", and subsequently would not be greeting anyone for the rest of the hike/day. That i had used up all greetings available for at least several weeks. About 30 minutes later a "hi" somehow slipped out when some guy surprised me with his greeting and I was so mad. He had gotten a greeting! Perhaps the only one I had left for some time! I was sullen the rest of the day.

[minnie]

i also have a lot of trouble with eye contact. i HATE walking by people anywhere or at work in the hallways on teh way to the bathroom. or in a store. i actively to places where there will be no chance that i know anyone. i get in my car and drive far away for lunch.

[GraceD]

My mountain mama friends used to call me Trail Slut because I was obnoxiously intereactive when backpacking around the Sierras.

[Barak]

Oops. I'm one of those 'hi' guys. It took me a long time to get used to not saying hi to everyone when I was in college. I've figured out for the most part where it's appropriate and not and when people would rather not make small greetings. But sometimes I slip. Please forgive me my transgressions.

[Margaret]

I am sometimes in the mood to say hi and chat and other times avoid it as much as I can. We are not always in the mood to socialize. It's not just you!