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Agree with the others. I have often started conversations with another shopper in the meat dept of the grocery store. I am not a great cook, and I sometimes ask people for their advice on preparing something. Nobody ever seems to mind.
On occasion, other shoppers strike up conversations with me and simply sap away my time -- why do they do this?
Just yesterday, while browsing watches at Costco, another shopper commented on how expensive some of the Rolexes were and how he could not believe Costco sold such expensive watches. I remarked on how if I were to spend a lot of money on a watch it would be for a Tag Heuer. He then proceeded to tell me a story about how his wife once purchased a Tag Heuer watch for him as a birthday gift on a cruise ship. The story did not provide me with any wisdom, nor was it humorous in any way. I didn't know what to say at its conclusion, and just stood there waiting for a punch line or some other addendum. When there was none, I just told him it was nice meeting him and uncomfortably walked away, hoping he wasn't going to get extra weird on me and do something while my back was turned to him.
Why does this sort of thing occasionally happen to me?
He probably thought you wanted to talk to him because you shared your opinion about watches. This sort of thing doesn't just occasionally happen to you, it happens to everyone. People do that. They talk to other people.
I don't understand why you "uncomfortably walked away." Why not just walk away, or continue looking at the watches? And why in the world would you be so uncomfortable and think that he was weird? All he was doing was talking to you about watches, which you encouraged by responding to him in the first place.
And then, "hoping he wasn't going to get extra weird on me and do something while my back was turned to him."
You sound very paranoid! If you don't want to talk to other people, then don't do it. You don't have to reply to someone in a store. When he commented on the expense of the watches and his being surprised that Costco sold them, all you had to do was ignore him.
Wear headphones and hop & dance around a lot while in line, like you've got ants in your pants. Go "ooo wooo ooo wooo ooooooo!!" as if you're singing along.
My gripe is apparently the memo went out a couple of months ago to every checkout clerk, asking "So how's your day going so far?" as if they're your BFF or even know you from the Man In The Moon.
These marketers and consultants, there is a speshul place for them and it's not called Heck.
Status:
"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 1 day ago)
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Well, I agree with the OP.
Sounds like he/she was friendly enough right back to the stranger, with the comment about Tag Hauer watches. Or however you spell that.
If you're standing in a grocery line and have absolutely nothing else to do to pass time, it's great to have someone to chat with if you're inclined.
But if you're at the watch counter trying to choose a watch and someone comes up and starts bending your ear and won't go away, you only kind of have the chance to be openly rude and say excuse me I'm trying to concentrate, or walk away from the watch counter and return to it when the guy is gone.
I get what he/she is saying. People come up to me and just start chattering away while I'm ready to move on to the next aisle. Enough already!
Wait... you are spending way more time on this thread reliving 5 minutes of human contact? You're using virtual contact to ***** about a friendly encounter irl.
This world is ****ed.
Sounds like he/she was friendly enough right back to the stranger, with the comment about Tag Hauer watches. Or however you spell that.
If you're standing in a grocery line and have absolutely nothing else to do to pass time, it's great to have someone to chat with if you're inclined.
But if you're at the watch counter trying to choose a watch and someone comes up and starts bending your ear and won't go away, you only kind of have the chance to be openly rude and say excuse me I'm trying to concentrate, or walk away from the watch counter and return to it when the guy is gone.
I get what he/she is saying. People come up to me and just start chattering away while I'm ready to move on to the next aisle. Enough already!
Except OP wasn't trying to choose a watch. He was merely 'window-shopping' with no intent to purchase one (at the time of browsing, anyway). And even if he were in the buying mood, what's a 30-second exchange with a fellow watch enthusiast?
Except OP wasn't trying to choose a watch. He was merely 'window-shopping' with no intent to purchase one (at the time of browsing, anyway). And even if he were in the buying mood, what's a 30-second exchange with a fellow watch enthusiast?
OP--you must think a lot of yourself if you think someone chatting in a Costco has some ulterior motive! Probably just some lonely person craving a few minutes of human contact, but I suppose you have never been that hungry for human interaction? I feel this guy was especially lonely if he chose you to chat with!
OP--you must think a lot of yourself if you think someone chatting in a Costco has some ulterior motive! Probably just some lonely person craving a few minutes of human contact, but I suppose you have never been that hungry for human interaction? I feel this guy was especially lonely if he chose you to chat with!
Consider yourself repped - I have given out too much in the last 24 hours.
Location: West Los Angeles and Rancho Palos Verdes
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I don't think a lot of you are getting it. I don't mind people chatting with me. What's odd, though, is when somebody conveys to me an unfunny, boring story of no use to me whatsoever just to hear themself talk. For example, if I'm shopping for underwear, do I need somebody to tell me that this morning they put on underwear, what its color it, and whether they need to pull it down or use a little slit to tinkle? Why do I need to hear all that and why would I care?
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