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Staring across the room. Eyes focus. That glare....Images of past encounters looming, while the scanning of countless faces scroll the memory banks. Theories to situations of where this person can process a match. A stare... for a moment, and then we so easily disregard the passing of this momentary puzzle and move on back to what we do...

Too often, we run into people that we know.. or people that we think we know. Face it, if you can call them someone that you know, wouldn't you go up and say "hi"...

The reasons we just don't:

1. "Damn it... what's their name!!!!!"

You don't know....OK you forgot there name or weren't paying attention when they were writing them on the "Hi my name is.." stickers on the corner of their shirts. Out of sure avoidance of embarrassment and "What the fuck is his name..." insinuations, you avoid the conversation...

2. "Who the fuck are you..."

Related back to #1... what if they do not know what your name is.... Don't look like an idiot... wait for them to make first contact...

3. "I wonder if she called me minute man?"

So you lasted only a minute.... Ok, call this one relations gone bad.... I'm talking about people you have dated, or were just in the process of courtship.... and you messed up somehow in some way and now you think they've label you to all their friends... Turn around and walk the other way.. Pride doesn't live here....

4. "...."

You are intimidated by the sure awe of their presence that even though you met them once before, terror stricken you so much that all you can do is look like a puppy waiting for the first meal of the day. This usually pertains to people that you highly admire and have met once before, like say, a movie star, and with luck, you just happen to see them again but the best you can do is look and stare..... God dammit, don't be such a chicken shit, go over there and talk to her, you've had a crush on her this long... I think I've said too much...

5. "So I have to get home and do laundry and then for lunch tomorrow...."

Preoccupation and distraction.... Your world of daily crap is now much too important then talking to someone, who is probably also wondering how much clean underwear they have left..... Sometimes you just don't care. Ignore the world and get back to daydreaming..... Ah yes, the whites are a little softer when adding softener...

6. "OK, ya, hi....."

You are just a prick. Your over inflated ego (at that moment, of course) has put you into a god like state where you are above everyone in this world, and although you are the nicest person, you choose not to associate yourself with people who do not meet with your standards, because... well, you are just that much better than everyone else...

7. "My head hurts, what the hell happened last night..."

Alcohol. Need I say more. Any event that happened between beer number 3 and 18 are now grouped with the same memories as the ones from preschool... although they seem like fun times, your perception of what happened and the people you met are a delusion... Just assume you ended up mooning everyone, which will explain the odd looks.....

Language developed so we can communicate with one another. The complex combination of structure and format. A small conversations followed by a big silence. Sometimes.... a quiet smile, a nod, or just a glance... that's all that is needed. We both know what up.. Spare the indignant BS... Make your statement... now bye..

But I think one day, I will go over to that treadmill and say hi..... just for the BS... what about them clean underwear though???