We've reached the end of this arc. I didn't originally plan on having an arc when I started writing these. I was just gonna do random stuff. But then I started thinking about how there's all these things that happen when I shop that make the experience very unpleasant for me. I could still do other shopping related comics, but they wouldn't fit with this arc and I can always do them later.

This one isn't really limited to shopping, however. It's general social interaction. In the first panel, it's not conveyed very well but she's trying her best to look at nothing in particular. Meanwhile the guy standing behind her is just looking straight ahead. I'm always worried someone will think I'm staring but other people don't really seem to care.

Then there's small talk. Small talk is painful for me. I know there's the social script everybody uses.

1: Hello. How are you?

2: I'm good. How are you?

3: I'm good. Thanks.

I do follow it but I can't really stand it, and this comic shows why. It's hard for me to answer with "I'm good," because I might not be. Or I might be "neutral". Either way it feels like I'm lying, which is unpleasant for me. Like Hearts, I focus on something else that won't be unpleasant for the person asking. It makes the situation easier for me. Especially if it's reasonable to expect I'll be standing there with that person for at least a minute. Sometimes I may engage with the generally accepted social script anyway in order to quickly get through the moment.

I have had at least one ex tell me that they didn't think it was appropriate for me to do that. Especially since I may be prone to oversharing. Well, maybe people just need a social script for small talk that doesn't require me to lie! Or doesn't feel so impersonal. I'd rather they say nothing to me if they don't want to actually know how I am.