124 - When people pretend to read to avoid interaction with you

I once sat beside a girl who had the amazing ability to reply to my inquisitions while holding in her hand and reading H.R. Wells' War of the Worlds. I, too, have the capability of multitasking. In fact, just today, I was able to have my lunch with a book in my hand. This was a self-help book, in fact, aimed at improving a reader's vocabulary, and upon seeing my book, my classmates asked what it was about.

This prompted about forty minutes of open-minded and open-ended discussion about the intriguing differences between American and British English, the etymologies of those long, difficult words, who and whom, me or I, spoonsful or spoonfuls, and several other difficult grammatical dilemmas. I think my classmates, like me, were enlightened by the chapter of my book I got through today, and they became more aware of some of the improper idiosyncrasies of common English usage today. Isn't that great?

But I digress.

The point of that was, I could read while talking to others and having my lunch. I've seen other people do it, too, anybody can multitask if they're willing to be the social creature that they're meant to be. If you think pretending to read can fool me, sorry, I'm not that gullible. Your eyes aren't moving on the page, you're stealing quick glances at me to see if I'm still there, you're either taking too long or too short of a time to turn the pages, it's obvious you're listening to every single word I say, plus: you look nervous. Transparent as cling-film, you are.

I hate it when people pretend to read, to avoid people because they don't have the guts to be honest, and/or to evade serious, sensitive and/or emotionally difficult conversations.

You say you're sparing my feelings by not having these heart-to-heart talks?

You hurt me everyday by avoiding them. Please tell me what's wrong, before the past few years all effectively amount to nothing.