# (Un)ususal end-of-conversation techniques? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 15, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239 "2004-04-15T22:20:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anduin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Anduin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduin)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/21 "2004-04-16T14:39:40Z")
notquitekarpov, that was awesome. I have this vision of a room full of slightly stuffy older men in suits, mouths slightly agape, as your father drops this bomb on them. I’ve got to figure out a way to work that into conversation today! ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/22 "2004-04-16T15:07:21Z")
“Crop-dusting”? Never heard that one before, that’s good! This sounds like my office. We’re small enough that pretty much everyone now just silently walks away; hardly anyone says, “see you around” or anything. I’m starting to think it’s rude, actually, but I don’t see it changing. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/23 "2004-04-16T15:16:17Z")
I generally indicate the end of a conversation by stating “And Bob’s your uncle.” ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/24 "2004-04-16T15:32:16Z")
This thread has gotten me thinking, I never paid attention to the closing notes of a conversation before! I have a friend with whom I have long drawn out chats, these conversations (which change topic at least three times) are usually ended when her phone rings, of one of her dogs barks hysterically at something … I used to be friends with a woman who would suddenly walk away in mid-sentence, I’d be left wondering WTF?!? and she’d come back. I eventually realised she was going to the toilet. Now I normally say, "oh 'scuse me … " before I buggar off to the loo (I think it’s only polite to let the person know you’re not just “going to stand over here now” [which is an excellent way to end a conversation!] and that you’ll be back. I have an aunt who puts the phone down on you when she’s decided the call is finished … I frequently find myself saying "thanks for phoning, see you … " to a low burrrrring sound. ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/25 "2004-04-16T15:58:03Z")
[“Okay, remember that part where you weren’t talking? Let’s do that again.”](http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=040410) No, I haven’t used it yet. But I’m going to. And it’s gonna be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![YoudNeverGuess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a587f6/32.png) [@YoudNeverGuess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoudNeverGuess)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/26 "2004-04-16T16:13:16Z")
- Originally posted by Giraffe \* > [@](#): > > Personally, I prefer to end my conversations with an extended pause and then a long, heavy sigh before I just wander off. Either that, or I shout “This conversation is over!” and storm off. - Originally posted by Giraffe \* > [@](#): > > Perhaps the best way to end a conversation is with a silent, but extremely deadly, fart. Be sure to make eye contact with them for a few seconds after the smell hits, and then walk away. **Giraffe** you are a legend! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/27 "2004-04-16T17:08:48Z")
I know an old guy that will stop midsentence and wander away from you while talking. From what I gather, he does this when he gets bored talking to someone. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/28 "2004-04-16T17:21:13Z")
Ask “Did you hear that?” They say “hear what?” You say " Me either." and walk away. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/29 "2004-04-16T17:25:09Z")
I prefer the “Law and Order” endings. In the TV show Law and Order, when the detectives are talking to a potential witness, crime victim, or criminal, the witness/victim/criminal inevitably has to go quickly as soon as the plot-enhancing information has been vocalized. If it’s a CEO, he gets an important phone call and ends the conversation with “I really have to take this.” If it’s a high school student it’s ended abruptly with “I really have to get to class.” If it’s a hooker, it’s “I really have to go blow this john.” (well, not really, but you get the idea). Mr. Athena and I giggle about this all the time - Detectives are interviewing a guilty college student who by all means should be doing the “Yes sir” “No sir” quaking in his shoes type thing, but instead the student acts as if the detectives are completely wasting his/her time and he really really really needs to be somewhere else - all of a sudden, after he coughs up that the body is behind the convenience store (or something like that.) ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/30 "2004-04-16T17:41:08Z")
[Columbo] Oh, just one more thing… [/Columbo] ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@Engineer\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Dude)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/31 "2004-04-16T17:58:23Z")
My favorite dismissive quote, from [Better Off Dead](http://www.moviequotequiz.com/reviews/betteroffdead.html): “See, the problem here is, is that my little brother, this morning, got his arm caught in the microwave, and, and uh, my grandmother dropped acid, and she freaked out and hijacked a school bus full of penguins, so it’s kind of a family crisis, so, come back later? Great.” ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/32 "2004-04-16T18:15:05Z")
I’m comfortably blunt about these things. when I’m on the phone with family I’ll just say something like, “that’s about all I have to say. you got anything else?” at work, I’ll usually notice the end of their interest in me or my interest in them and just say, “well. . . yup” as I’m walking out. But, it’s not easy to do. You have to hone the right timing and tone, but I can do it. Some people are really bad at it. They’re the people who linger way too long in your office or in a conversation. I think they think it’s rude to end a convo in a blunt manner, but that’s only because they don’t know how to end a convo at all. I consider them social misfits. ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/33 "2004-04-16T20:05:32Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > They’re the people who linger way too long in your office or in a conversation. I think they think it’s rude to end a convo in a blunt manner, but that’s only because they don’t know how to end a convo at all. I consider them social misfits. Well I think I’m one of those misfit guys that doesn’t know how to endo a condo at allo, but thanks to all of you!.. well… ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/34 "2004-04-16T20:06:46Z")
> [@SandWriter](#): > > well… yep! ---
**Author:** ![Feit\_C\_Taj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@Feit\_C\_Taj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feit_C_Taj)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/35 "2004-04-16T20:14:49Z")
I’ve recently started ending conversations with “Happy Fish!” People either gibber or giggle, depending on the situation. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/36 "2004-04-16T20:39:01Z")
> [@SandWriter](#): > > yep! K! ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/37 "2004-04-16T20:48:22Z")
> [@YoudNeverGuess](#): > > **Giraffe** you are a legend! 😃 That must be why no one comes by my office any more. Too intimidated by my greatness… ---
**Author:** ![UWmite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UWmite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UWmite)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/38 "2004-04-16T21:02:18Z")
My favorite (especially after saying something inappropriate, unfunny, or just plain awkward) is to throw an imaginary smoke bomb (complete with sound effects) and run away. ---
**Author:** ![SamIAm336](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SamIAm336](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamIAm336)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/39 "2004-04-17T00:38:06Z")
I am one of those who sneaks away when no one is looking…Mybe I need to rethink this? ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239/40 "2004-04-17T01:09:58Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > I’d like to say that I drop Eddie Izzard-isms at the end of conversations (“Sorry, I have to go, my grandmother’s on fire” or “Gotta run, left my cat in the fridge…” )but I don’t do that. Oh, my…I might have to start that! How about… “Le sange est dans le branche?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-ususal-end-of-conversation-techniques/240239.md?page=3)