10. The eye contact you, as the driver of a car, receive from a pedestrian as they are crossing a crosswalk and you are stopping at the stop sign to let them cross. I feel I am usually the receipt of a questionably "I dare you" type look, like I am going to blow through the stop sign and run them over.
9. When a new line at the grocery store opens up and everyone swarms over to the new lane. Either you get some butthead who was at the end of the original line, but becomes the 1st person in the new line (so everyone is pissed off). Or you get a "You go ahead." "No you go ahead." type situation. "Fine. I'll go then. Bye"
8. The pressure you feel to check out as efficiently and error free as possible in a Self Check-Out lane with people waiting behind you. I find this especially stressing in a place like Home Depot where you have to manage a bunch of oddly shaped objects that never seem to scan correctly.
7. I don't feel this way but apparently others feel compelled to leave a voicemail when they dial the wrong number. Obviously the person on the message isn't who they want to talk to, but they leave a message saying "Sorry I have the wrong number." Why do people do this? It baffles me. I don't know if this counts as an awkward social situation, but I'm thinking the caller of the wrong number must be at least somewhat awkward if he/she is leaving this type of message.
6. Being followed by another car back to your parking spot in a crowded lot. I absolutely hate that. I'm always paranoid that person is going to hit the gas a bit too much and accidentally run me over. Is it that serious to find a spot? How do they know my spot isn't the absolute last spot in the aisle? One time this actually happened and my spot was not only the last spot in the aisle, but it was the last spot in a satellite parking lot across the main parking lot road. The people followed me the whole way and then didn't take the spot. Then sped off like they were mad. Now that I think about it, maybe they were going to try and rob me or something and decided against it at the last minute. Whew!
5. When people I don't know tell me "Awwww your dog is so cute" or "You have a beautiful dog." I always say "Thanks" But, this is really a stupid response because I have nothing to do with how fabulous Chloe is. But, I can't think of anything better to say. And if I said "I know" I would sound conceited even though I'm not talking about myself.
4. Waiting for people to move out of the way in card stores. I just really hate that. There is never anywhere else to really "be" when your waiting for someone to move away from the cards you want, so then I always end up flipping through the "Mahogany Happy Birthday to my Daughter" cards, or some such other card type that does not relate to me in any way.
3. The feeling of someone directly behind you pushing a shopping cart. Can't you just feel the pain of that cart running into the back of your ankles??!!!??
2. Waiting in bathroom lines and trying to judge who you think looks the cleanest, so given the option you'd go into the bathroom stall recently vacated by them. As opposed to Donna Disgusto right in front of you.
1. Riding in an elevator for a substantial amount of floors with one other person that works for your company, but you don't actually know who that person is. You only know they work for your company because one of your company's floor buttons is depressed. Then when the first person leaves some sort of vacant pleasantry is exchanged, like "Have a good one" (I hate that saying) or some such. To me, I just think this confirms that both people are sitting there right next to eachother thinking "This is awkward" "What can I say?" "I'll be damned if I talk about the weather." Then this pressure is relived somewhat when the person exits and comes up with a witty comment like "Have a Nice Day."
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4 comments:
What a thought provoking post. I must say that I have never had anyone leave me a message to declare they have dialed the wrong digits. How strange that people do that.
Other awkward situations to note:
1) The armrest. Is realistic to think everyone who sits down in a movie theatre (or plane as the case may be) contemplates which arm rest is "theirs" by looking down to the start of the row and, though a series of mental caluclations, assigning everyone their appropriate rest. Or are you supposed to share the armrests equally....you put your arm in front and the stranger rests his elbow on the back? Or is this a first come first serve scenario?
b) Choosing seats in a completely full airplane. As one who is organized enough to have scored four out of four "A" boarding passes on the luxourious Southwest, much time was spent sitting on the plane for nearly 20 minutes as the less organized passengers file on one by one. As they walk up the aisle, they are sizing everyone up. They know they will have to squeeze in somewhere so I can't help but realize I am being judged based on my size, perceived normalcy, body odor and body posture. Here's the question though...do you want to pass the test and have someone begging for you to move over so they can sit on the aisle, or do you want to be the girl on the plane that no one wants to sit next to?
I'd rather be the girl on the plane that noone wants to sit next to. This way, if it's not a full flight, I have plenty of space..aaaaall to myself.
I suggest failure to use deodarant, unwashed hair, a fake baby and a fat suit. With all of those things in place, you can be sure everyone will sit as far away as possible.
This is a brilliant post. I'm sure we could find lots more stranger situations. I love it when reading about people in the exact same situation as you have been in (did that sentence just make sense?). Anyhow I'm off to spend another half an hour looking for the meaning of Elipse without coming across 'plane curve'...
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