What if you go to the same place all the time and never talk
Have you ever frequented a store, bar, supermarket and never said a single word to anyone, and eventually people have started
looking at you like you are holding a gun?
It hasn't happened to me here in Panama, and I have been here for ten years. I have played pool alone for almost 5 years, and I have
rarely spoken to anyone, and I seem invisible there. I have been going to the same theater almost every friday, and I have rarely said
a word to anyone besides "how much is this?" "Or I want a big soda", and everyone seemed to ignore me.
Back in Orlando, however, I remember people
inside the University Library who worked on the fourth floor started looking at me weird after I spent one semester going there almost every day,
and I was always alone. It also happened to me inside a Barnes and Nobles bookstore. Some girl told another girl, "That guys is weird."
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Your Aspie score: 163 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 50 of 200
NTs often act like people are weird that don't talk very much, but they never actually try to talk to the person themselves. So in essence they're doing the same thing in a way.
Or when they finally try to talk to the person all they say is "how come you never talk to anybody here?" Instead of trying to make an actual conversation about something. ![]()
When I find myself frequenting the same place, I've found it's a good idea to make some kind of acknowledgement of the employees there. I have a hard time recognizing people, so initially I will just nod at whoever seems to be looking in my direction. There is a restaurant in my neighbourhood that I go to several times a week, by myself. I always bring my sketchbook, or a lot of books to read. The staff acknowledges me and are friendly, but pretty much leave me alone. It's nice, it seems like they're almost protective of me and my solitary nature.
ardentauthor
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: 27 Dec 2011
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Posts: 30
Location: Eastern U.S.
I've had a similar situation. I've been volunteering at one charity shop for nearly a year (been going practically every week) and I've only just about come out of my shell. People have commented on how quiet I am, quite a few times actually, but not in a critical way, which is all right. But the people there are nice enough to know better that I'm just shy, not weird. And lucky for me, I can give off the right sort of body language that clearly says ''I am shy but still normal''. People do go out of their way to talk to me, and they come up to me to say goodbye when they're going, which makes me feel like I'm likeable.
I do go in once a week anyway, so I probably get wrapped up with the different things I do in the week then actually have a structure on Sundays (the day I attend my voluntary job). So it's not like I go in every day and still not speak to anyone.
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Female
