Grade A for Awkward

Breaking the drought with an awkward story that is worth typing it all down.

So I was hanging out with a friend at the Esplanade Library, and she roped in another friend to help her design a poster for her student film. I was just there because I had nothing else to do.

Nothing much happened during, but C had to leave for her church service afterwards so she left us strangers together to walk to the nearest train station.

I knew if I had kept silent like I always do with new people, things between us would really be awkward, and I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, so I tried to engage her in a conversation and put the focus on her.

While waiting for the train, we were talking about her job as a graphic designer/artist in her company and she suddenly said to me:

"I'm sorry, but this is awkward for me to talk about my job.."
"Oh, why? (looks around) Is there someone...?"
"It's just awkward for me to talk..."
"So you'd rather have us be in silence the whole train ride back?"
"Well, I could take the train from the other side..."

Things got awkwardly silent again. I just stood there with my hands in my pockets feeling like a fool.

We got into the train like people who didn't know each other. Then one stop later, she said she had to go to Somerset, apologized again, and left the train carriage.

I'm a little peeved by the fact that I went out of my comfort zone to not make her suffer in awkward silence, and yet she still feels discomfort. It's like I shouldn't have tried at all. Just ignore her presence and walk away.

So much for being the less awkward one.