I think I might be one of those people who goes on in conversation past the point where my audience loses interest…and then beats a dead horse…and then runs it into the ground.

No one wants to be that person.

More than that, no one wants to bump into that person.

I am that person.

Listen, I’m used to my own family cutting me off with flimsy excuses.  In the past week alone, the Captain has cut me off in the following abrupt ways:

• “I gotta run.  I’m REEEEEEAL busy.”
• “Molly, this is your brother calling.  I have to take this.”
• “I’m getting in the shower.  If you don’t have anything new; I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
• “Here’s your Dad.” (Followed by an extended pause indicating Dad has no desire to talk to me whatsoever)
• “I’m on the other line with your sister.  Let me call you back.”  Still waiting.  Still waiting.  Still waiting.”

It’s a whole different show when someone who isn’t blood takes a pretend call to get you to give it a rest.

That was me this morning.

I cornered this poor guy from work who recently had his first child.  Initially he was happy to share a few tender tidbits of his first weeks of parenthood; he’d have been even happier if the conversation ended there.

Clearly he doesn’t know me.  I was just getting warmed up.

I continued to beat his ear with and endless stream of personal, parental wisdom and funny kid stories; until he politely put his headphones on and started to backpedal away.

Hint taken.