…By which I mean there will be a few sentences admonishing my methods of human interaction.
When I am uncomfortable, I smile and laugh a lot, which probably makes others even more uncomfortable. When I don’t understand an accent, or I’ve already asked twice for someone to repeat themselves, I laugh and nod knowingly, sharing a hidden secret and walking away approvingly. If I am asked a question I cannot answer, my response is truthful, and somehow always ends up making someone uncomfortable.
I’m really good and being able to tell when people around me are uncomfortable. Eyes shift quickly, voices lower, heads turn looking for a way out, and the conversation begins to drift to an end, even if it’s in the middle of a sentence. It’s no secret. Maybe I’m just an awkward person.
But I know I’m awkward, which makes it slightly better. Now I can uncomfortably apologize after everything I say and do. Hurray.
Leave a Reply