The Look Away

Note: One of my friends wrote this about a year ago on his blog

Everyone knows what "the look away" is. We all engage in at least one every day. It is when you are in that middle ground with someone - where you both know of each other's existence but aren't quite sure if you're on good enough terms to exchange salutations. There is nothing more uncomfortable in human interaction than "the look away." You both know that you can't make eye contact because that would make things even more uncomfortable. You obviously can't say "hello" because...you're not on terms with them like that. So as you walk past, you both make an obvious effort to divert your gaze.

Another rendition of "the look away" might be even worse. Its where you are on speaking terms with the person, but not well enough to where you can shout out or smile from a distance. For example, both parties see each other coming from a few yards away but you're not in normal speaking range. With a normal friend, one can smile and keep looking in their direction or shout out and it won't be considered abnormal. But if you are not that acquainted yet, that would be just plain strange. So both parties look to the side or down immediately upon spotting the other person and then immediately look back up at the appropriate moment. Proper timing is imperative.

Freshman year, there was one guy who lived in my dorm whom with I was on these terms. You should try this. Y would spot him coming from very far away and he would almost immediately awkwardly look away. Instead of looking away myself I would continue looking right at him to watch what he would do. Right at the precise moment we entered speaking distance he would immediately look at me and say "whatsup." It was difficult to keep from laughing in his face when i saw this.