My name is Geoffrey Simeona and I answer fake phone calls. Every once in awhile, we see that one person on the planet that we’d rather NOT talk to...I’ll call her Ms. X. Everyone has one. I’ve been sick with the flu for the past week, so I was already in an uncomfortable and awkward state-of-mind when I saw Ms. X. As she approached me in the Library, I quickly switched my phone to silent under my backpack and “picked it up.”
Me: “Hey Jackie, what’s up? I’m just in the library. Blah blah blah blah…”
Ms. X stopped in front of my table until I made eye contact.
Me: (under my breath) “Hey how are ya? It’s way good to see you.”
Ms. X: “Yeah you too! I’ll try and catch up with you in a little bit.”
I know that’s probably the lamest, most jellyfish thing to do…but everyone does it! Or am I alone in this? In previous cases where I’ve answered fake calls, I’ve always been walking and not been in the mood to really talk to anyone…yet not wanting to seem rude at the same time. What’s your perception? Would you consider fake phone conversations/fake texting a rude or considerate means of preserving communication? Share your experiences.
-Geoffrey Simeona
2 comments:
I never thought of that excuse! It's a good one! Usually, I make up stories of how I'm in a hury, or have a terrible headache... thus avoiding a conversation that would just get me frustrated, or ruin my good moods I might be in. I think all these excuses are usednot to be rude, but to avoid hurting the person.
I think it's interesting how we feel a need to justify not wanting to talk to someone. I'm now starting to realize that as I think about the exhausting measures that I go through to avoid it, maybe "something is better than nothing." You know, like a brief "hey Ms. X" in passing would suffice and avoid the stressful hassle of coming up with an excuse. I'm thinking that short interactions go a longer way in preserving communication that we really think!
-Geoffrey Simeona
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