Quirky behaviour
Am I alone when I admit to overly apologising to a cashier at the supermarket when I've forgotten my bags and go into a long winded explanation as to why?! Does he or she really care about why I've haven't brought my carrier bags? Are they bothered? No they are not, the disinterested look on their faces would tell me so, but it doesn't matter and on I plough informing them about the hectic morning I've had and how I forgot to grab the carriers on the way out or how "I wasn't planning to go shopping today!" Does this make me feel better? In some small way I think it must or is this just a social norm that I'm conforming to?
For a while now I have noticed that I frequently exhibit these strange and quirky behaviours, I'm pretty sure that these are things that I've always done, but the question is do others or am I alone with these oddities? At the risk of sounding a bit peculiar I'll explain further.
When returning from a holiday recently I realised how very guilty I felt when I was passing through security, like I'd accidentally brought something illegal with me. Similarly walking through "Nothing to declare" feeling like I have a hell of a lot to declare but I've no idea what it is!
I've been in many conversations when I haven't heard what someone has said, I asked them to repeat it already and there's no way I could ask them again so I just smile and hope they don't expect me to comment! I did this recently when someone was telling me a story and I sensed that I was supposed to laugh, so I did, and then got asked what the joke was about and had to admit that I hadn't heard it at all...deeply .mortifying.
Someone visits the house as planned and I immediately apologise about the mess that the house is in even though I've spent all day cleaning. The house is tidy but the apologies keep coming!
Those awkward moments in a shop when you bump into someone you know only to continue bumping into them on every aisle, each time exchanging an increasingly uncomfortable, "Oh hello again." I've tried changing my planned route through the shop but only leads to more embarrassment when it's clear that you have and still you meet.
Why when I'm at someone's house and they very kindly offer me a drink do I say no, immediately regret it and wished I'd said yes?! It's a social convention that the host offers a drink as I'm sure accepting one is, but still I say no? Why?
There are many more that I could divulge but I think I need to keep some to myself. Let me know if you are guilty of any of these behaviours or if you have any of your own, I'm sure we all share some common social idiosyncrasies, don't we...?!
The Curious and Quirky Fox