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People are scary.
I know I'm all antisocial and stuff, but I guess I just don't notice it sometimes. There must be a line that I cross when I'm trying not to be disruptive or rude that goes into social anxiety territory. Lately people have been noticing my odd social behavior and it's been catching me by surprise.
Just tonight, I went over to Russell's house to get back my copy of Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. I walked in the door, noticed his aunt and sisters watching Sex And The City, and headed up the stairs to his room. About three steps up, I hear his sister say, "Hi, Max." I turn around and say "Oh, hi." And start nervously back up the stairs.
Russell's all, "Aren't you going to say hi?"
I'm all, "Uh, yeah, I just did." I try once again to hurry up the stairs. Russell reminds me that shoes aren't allowed in the house. I knew that, but I was trying to make my entry and exit into the house quick. I quickly take of my clogs —yes, clogs in the winter— and run the rest of the way up the stairs. When I finally got out of the house, Russell told me that my shyness is why his family thinks I'm so strange. Great. People think I'm rude AND strange. The rude, strange, freakishly shy little boy who lives up the street.
Something a little like this also happened a few weeks ago. I was going up to the little corner store place thingy with Adam at like midnight to get some snack food. So, it's late, it's dark, and suddenly I'm under florescent lighting. Did I ever mention how florescent lighting makes me feel naked? I immediately bundled my scarf around my head.
At the cash register, the cashier looked at my strangely and whispered, "Do you see somebody you know?" Huh? "You look like you're hiding. Is there somebody here that you're hiding from?" She looks to the side of the store.
"Erm, no," I say. "I'm just cold."
"Oh, yeah, just ignore him," Adam says as he pays for our Chex Mix.
If people notice this sort of stuff and tell me, are people noticing it other places, too? When I wrap my scarf several times over my head in school to hide my face from the harsh lights, do people think I'm just trying to be comfortable or do they think I'm somebody who belongs in the loony bin?
December 28, 2004 at 10:01 PM
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Hey, that comment was made in jest!
i feel horrible for giggling out loud at this, but i couldn't help it. the scarf thing was just too much.
eh, i wouldn't worry about it. i get that way alot too. man, social anxiety is so annoying.
but really, a scarf due to florescent lights? thats pretty funny imagry, you gotta admit.
p.s. thats my new e-mail since i'm having troubles with my webhost.
rofl, oh that is sooo bad... I.. I.. rofl, you should have just played along with the cash register lady, it couldn't have been much more embarrassing, well..
Though it sounds like something that would happen to me.
On that last bit though, the wrapping of the scarf around your neck, was it around your face? Cause I could see that being percieved as pretty wierd.
Max, if you're wandering around school with a scarf-turban, people are going to think that you regularly take a controlled substance prescribed by someone with lots of toys in his doctor's office and that you forgot to take it that day.