I've become acquainted with a gentleman at a coffee shop I frequent. He always asks me about my work, even though I’ve told him my workload varies due to my academic pursuits.
Over time, I’ve noticed that no matter what we talk about, he always brings the conversation back to my work. He’ll say things like, "So you're not working now?" or "Are you working?" almost every time he sees me.
It's reached a point where I’m growing disinterested in talking to him, and sometimes I even avoid acknowledging him to dodge these conversations.
How can I handle these repetitive questions politely while discouraging further discussion on the same subject?