The_Face_of_Boo wrote:
Never approach a girl wearing headphones.
As a habitual "I have my earphones in. That's a signal that I don't want to talk to you" person, I should like to expand this to don't approach anyone with a headphones thing going on.
Them: [Muffled, cos I'm listening to something]
Me: [Fumbling for MP3 player to pause thing I'm listening to, which is either a song I'm trying to get lost in or a podcast/lecture/audiobook I'm trying to pay attention to, and removing an earphone] Sorry, what?
Them: How are you?
Me: [Thinking: trying to avoid talking to anyone] Oh, fine. [Smiles, turns and/or walks away, pointedly fidgets with MP3 player]
1. Smile at her. See if she smiles back. If she does't, leave her be. If she does, that could be welcoming or it could be reflexive/politeness. Try and work out which.
2. If the situation is such that there are no other wholly empty seats, but the seat next to her is free, join her. If she pointedly looks away from you and her body language is closed, reciprocate and leave her be.
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Of course, it's probably quite a bit more complicated than that.
You know sometimes, between the dames and the horses, I don't even know why I put my hat on.