So, this just happened to me, and it got me thinking: “Who should be the one to start up the conversation again”?
Ok so, my friend asked me “how was the concert?”, and I barely got a thought out before another roommate comes in and interrupts about other roommate taking forever in the bathroom. The friend I was talking to derailed by telling the person in bathroom to hurry up, and then, never reopened the conversation. We just kinda awkwardly went about our business. I was happy to share though, but i’m also an introverted type of person.
Is it really on me to re-engage in that situation or is it usually on them to show interest by asking again? Because to me, if they ask once and don’t get an answer then they were doing it out of some social obligation to fill silence and not out of any genuine interest. Am I wrong on that?
2 comments
Since you wanted to keep going, I would just jump right back in “Anyway, the concert was…”, and then go from there.
From their perspective, they were curious and so they asked about it. Then you took getting interrupted as an excuse to not share. If you don’t reengage after the interruption they’re going to think you obviously don’t want to talk about it. If they’re considered they’re not going to pester you about it after you’ve made it clear that you don’t care to share.