IsabellaLinton wrote:
Wow. I'm sorry you're put in such crappy situations like that but I'd do the same thing in that circumstance. I don't get pointed or invasive questions asked of me very often but if I do, I tend to go mute and not reply, or else I shrug and say "I don't know" (which is true because "I don't know how to answer"). Other times I change the subject.
I usually have answers prepared in advance and just go by the script. If people ask how I am, I just say “pretty good” without thinking about it. Depending on the question, I’ll give a short response which may contain a white lie and get them to talk about themselves instead. It’s weird, but most people seem to like talking about themselves, perhaps especially the people who are trying to engage me in conversation. It’s good because it saves me from having to talk. On top of plain, old timidity, the number of things that I’m comfortable with talking about to people I don’t know well is small. It’s easier for me to just go with the script I have prepared than to evade the question or come up with something that’s sort of true. I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with telling white lies to protect my privacy and to appear polite.
Sometimes people I’ve not seen in a while will ask how my husband is. I’ll say: “Oh, he’s doing pretty good. How’s Mike doing? Is he still working for that construction company?” Then a long,
boring monologue almost always ensues in which I strive to look extremely interested while I think up more questions to ask to avoid talking about the as*hole who’s most likely not doing pretty good by any stretch of the imagination.
This is just one example. When people (or a guy I’m not interested in) ask me to hang out and I don’t want to, I’ll usually claim that I have other plans. Most people seem to do that.