The Smile That Kills

I think I pretty much officially have "The Smile That Kills" (Conversations, etc.)...
it's not often I have a random person physically start talking to me, but as it's happened the last several times :

stranger starts talking... I shyly continue the conversation
shortly into conversation I forget and end up laughing and/or smiling
lo - and behold! - the conversation immediately dies

and I DO mean immediately... as soon as they see my teeth (or what remains of them), even if it was mid-conversation, it abruptly ends

this time said stranger even sped-up their walking speed to get just ahead of me and stay ahead *sighs*
the common response is as soon as there's a crossing, they turn - even though I see later that they return to the road again
I've had people a couple times cross to the other side of the road, even in traffic...

I've gotten used to it enough that I'm no longer offended - it's just kinda saddening that physical means so much
but I can imagine the possibilities they're thinking, particularly in that I've had people assume it's due to drug use/abuse before


I suppose I'm not missing out, though, since they appear to consider the physical more important than the conversation was that they began in the first place *shrugs*


good thing there's still some of my friends that haven't passed on yet or the rare convos I have at all would only be at work!

- thom / Wolfox