Things I've Encountered

What are you supposed to do when you and someone you know are walking towards each other and you recognize one another from a distance too great to hold a shoutversation (a conversation where you have to shout because you’re too from one another)? As soon as you acknowledge your counterpart’s presence, there is absolutely nothing you can say as you two silently and awkwardly continue to walk towards each other. Do you maintain eye contact? Do you smile? Or do you look away? I bet this is when everyone busts out their phone to kill the time it takes to get close enough to speak. To further the uncomfortable encounter, the common “how are ya?” is often thrown out there as a common courtesy, and if you two aren’t going to stop and chat, DON’T ANSWER THE QUESTION! It just leads to the complete opposite situation I just mentioned, for you two have to have an impromptu shoutversation as you part ways. 

So if the quick “how ya doin?” is thrown to you, stop and chat, or get the fuck out!