Awkward, Awkward, Awkward #1
I am awkward. There, I said it. I try to be cool most of the time, but there are just some situations in life that constantly trip me up and it’s awkward. It’s past time to do something about them. I hope I am not alone in these situations, but I very well could be.
The first situation is when I am getting off the phone with someone I don’t normally talk to. It’s just awkward. We both know that it is time to hang up, why does it have to become weird? It usually happens like this:
Me: Ok, well it was good talking to ya.
Not me: Yeah, it was. We will catch up again soon.
Me: Absolutely. Let’s do that.
… … …
Me: Ok, well have a good one.
Not me: You too.
Me: Ok, well talk to ya later.
Not me: Oh yeah ok.
Me: Ok
Not me: Ok
Me: Bye
Not me: yeah..ok..bye
The problem? I am pushing the hang up button when I hear the “yeah ok, bye” part. It makes me feel like they didn’t know a “bye” was coming. It’s not like I sprung it out of nowhere! “Oh yeah, so let me tell you about- BYE!” I would expect the surprise then! I just don’t get it. Why is it so awkward? Do I not set up the goodbye well enough?
I guess I could say, “Well, I am going to let you go”, but then that makes me feel like I have held them captive. “Good news. Your time is up. You can go now. I am letting you go. You are released. Come back now… ya hear?”
There’s just not a good setup to say goodbye. I miss the old days of arguing with my middle school girlfriend over who is hanging up first.
Me: I’m not hanging up first.
Cute girl: Well then we are going to be here a while, cause I’m not!
Me: Me either! I can’t let you go.
Cute girl: I’m not doing it. You have to.
Me: I guess we will just fall asleep together.
Cute girl: ::giggles::
….silence…..
Me: Are you asleep?
So, I apologize to you if I have awkwardly hung up the phone with you. I’m just not good at it. I am willing to get better though.
Any suggestions?
Bahahhaha that middle school conversation is dead on!!! Talk about awkward…
This post made me feel, well, really awkward. I don’t think I want to ever talk to you on the phone
totally feeling your pain! but sometimes I think being awkward is funny. it’s entertaining … for someone.
I guess when you’re talking to someone new it’s always strange to see who initiates the end of the conversation, and then you don’t have history or a routine so you don’t know what to say. I suppose it’s just going to be awkward and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Just be sure not to say “I’m not hanging up first because I don’t want to let you go.”
I’m trying to start using the salutation “lates” when I end a call. “Later” always works but I feel like being different might make people sit for a second after I hang up and think, “Wow… Blake is kind of cool.”
Then again maybe they’ll just think I’m weird.
Loved that post! It really resonated with me and maybe one reason I hate the phone so much LOL God bless you and your ministry.
"My mom is beeping in" has always been a good one for me. For 1, they know you can't leave your mom hanging. And 2, you can even interrupt them mid-sentence.
Another good one is household chores. "I gotta go get these clothes out of the washer," or "I gotta go feed the dogs."
Hope this will help in your endeavor of hanging up the phone. If not, call the manufacturer.