Shut up!

Have you ever been in the midst of talking to someone, you are very excited about what you are discussing, you are quite sure that this person is a kindred spirit, and you are so excited to be able finally discuss this ever so interesting topic that no one ever really seems to want to listen to you blather on about when suddenly you notice, they're not really all that interested?

It might be body language like putting their hand over their mouth, or maybe they take a step back, or they start to say things like, "huh. hmmm yeah.  oh, interesting" while very obviously scrolling through their email on their iPhone.

Yeah.  The exact above scenario just happened to me after my IT Administration class when I started talking to my professor about iPhone apps and then somehow wound up chattering on about dark fiber, creative commons, music rights and why I am a business major.

He started backing away somewhere around creative commons but I was in denial and just kept right on talking.   I could see it happening, but I couldn't stop myself my mouth.  It just kept right on going, and as I saw him losing interest did I take the cue and back off?  NO!!!  I talked faster, as though I knew he was about to make his escape and I just had to squeeze in more words or I would not get it all out before he turned and ran.

While my mouth ran on and on I'm asking myself, WHY?  Why can't I just shut up?  I'm around people all day, it isn't as though I'm a hermit with no social life.  As the words came faster and faster out of my mouth and I could see his eyes glaze over a voice in my head was shouting,

"Run you poor man.  Run before she changes topics again and you have to listen to her talk about tax credits, choreography, the wonders of recycled rubber in pavement or...oh god, the worst of the worst, HER CATS!  Save yourself!!"

At some point I stopped for breath and he managed to bark out a quick.  "Well, have a good weekend." Then turned and walked away...

"Um...yes.  You too."