just noting something

[AutistAcolyte]

i'm not really looking for advice on how to "deal with" the situation, just making a note of how I feel (or the confusion of feelings).

so I have a neighbor down the street named Craig, and Craig loves to talk. Sometimes, I don't mind standing and chatting with him, or letting him talk at me, for a while. Sometimes though, I do need to be somewhere, or even if I don't need to be somewhere I just don't have the energy to listen to Craig talk, but I don't tell him that.

i'm not expecting him to know that I don't have any energy, but it is frustrating sometimes to get unexpectedly caught in a 30 minute small talk trap that I wasn't expecting. like today: I left for a meeting with my priest pretty early so that I would not have to worry about traffic making me late, and I would most likely be able to get a coffee and sit and read for a little bit before our meeting.

But now I am maybe still not going to be late but I am worried about it, and I also won't have time to do you leisurely about it. Also, more unexpected schedule: my roommate wants to have dinner and talk tonight, so I have to plan for that as well now.

just noting my frustrations with energy management, thanks for listening

 

[Knower of nothing]

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day for a good hour and then asked him "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be the type that doesn't know how to exit a conversation would you?" to which he replied "Ah, so you noticed."
Even after this acknowledgement we both still found it difficult to simply stop the interaction without a specific trigger like an appointment or responsibility involved. It's been rather funny speaking with someone that shares almost all of my social difficulties, like an awkward mirror. Lots to learn though.
One day I'll uncover the mythical ways of being yourself even though another human being is near. (It'll come down to courage alone probably.)

 

[Aspychata]

Really simple to finish a conversation with, hey it's great talking to you. Say: chat later? then wave, then take off. Or you can say, glad we caught up, or glad we met, l need to take off. Later then. You can be overly polite and say, excuse me, l need to leave but here is my phone number if you need to contact me.

Sometimes l just state, l need to leave, and l spin around and take off. Good to use with complete strangers who are wasting your time.

 

[SusanLR]

When it gets too long winded, it's always good to have an excuse to end it.
I don't try to make it too apologetic. I think this may make it sound contrived.
Just make it seem simply a part of the day and the conversation.
Smile and say something like "Gotta go now. Sure glad you called. Talk again soon."
Actions do speak louder than words. At least how the words are presented.