I talked to someone new at my job, a plumber was working on our pipes. I said hello and tried to make some small talk, but I quickly noticed that he seemed like he had been having a very long day. He told me that he was tired and was not really in the mood to talk. He was not rude at all, but he clearly did not want to interact very much. This caught me off guard because I expected the conversation to feel a little more natural.
I decided not to keep the conversation going because it was obvious that he wanted some space. The interaction made me realize how different communicating with people online can be compared to talking to someone in person. Online, there is more distance between you and the other person, and you usually have more time to think about how you want to respond. In person, you have to pay attention to someone’s tone, body language, and mood right away.
This experience also helped me understand that not everyone wants to talk to a stranger, even when you are trying to be friendly. It also reminded me how important social cues are in face to face conversations.