From The Past: January 5, 2004

Have you ever met anyone who when they talk, never take their eyes off of you; ever? It’s daunting to say the least. Years ago, at one of my first job interviews, the interviewer was like this. I was in her office for a total of thirty minutes and she never took her eyes off of mine. It was uncomfortable and very warm in there and I could hardly wait to leave. By the way, I did get the job. I know that it is considered good manners to keep eye contact, but I also think it’s a good idea to occasionally glance away for a few seconds.

I had a conversation with someone today which lasted for a total of fifteen minutes. She never took her eyes off of mine, not even for a second. This in turn, made me stare at her the entire time too because I didn’t want to seem rude. I guess when some people are stared at, they tend to look in a different direction. As for me, I stare right back. It’s like I’m mesmerized or something. I have nothing to hide, it just feels creepy somehow.

If Kevin were to stare at me during conversation, I wouldn’t think a thing of it. If one of the kids did it, I would be shocked, but it wouldn’t bother me. Other people, particularly strangers, are another matter entirely. It’s just something to think about.