# People who can’t DO conversation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-can-t-do-conversation/182195>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [June 16, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-can-t-do-conversation/182195 "2003-06-16T12:46:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-can-t-do-conversation/182195/21 "2003-06-16T16:02:04Z")

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Even worse are the people who, no matter what you say, can drop in an immediate conversation-killer. So that you’re struggling to hold up BOTH ends of the conversation.

Me: So what do you do for a living?

Her: I work for Corporation X.

Me: Oh, my, that sounds like a very interesting place to work. So what is it you like about working there?

Her: Oh, nothing, really.

\<awkward silence\>

Almost more obnoxious than the overly helpful. I’d rather listen to inanities than silence!

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**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-can-t-do-conversation/182195/22 "2003-06-16T16:11:14Z")

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o…

ah…

These conversation helpers brought to you by Doulas Adams, RIP. Insert them into any conversation, whether religious debates, medical interviews, or just plain fun.

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**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-can-t-do-conversation/182195/23 "2003-06-16T16:16:46Z")

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A friend of mine tells the same stories repeatedly, even if I say, “Oh, I remember that story,” she’ll still tell it in detail from the beginning. Drives me nuts.

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**Author:** ![smam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@smam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smam)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-can-t-do-conversation/182195/24 "2003-06-16T16:18:12Z")

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We had this guy at work who used to drink about 13 Red-Bulls a day. If you saw him walking (well more like bouncing) towards you in the corridor the conversation invariably went something like this -

Red Bull Junkie _waves rapidly and doesn’t stop walking_ " Hi howr you doin? I’m fine thanks. "

And then he would be gone, without you even uttering a word. The cheek of it, he asks a question, presumes he already knows the answer then fires in with a reply to question that hasn’t even been asked of him yet.

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