More Conversation Sins

I was pondering additional Conversation Sins, but I don't want to go back and edit the previous post. That's ugly. I'm a writer, not an editor. :-)

The Laugher

This one cracks me up... so to speak. The Laugher finds absolutely anything and everything just a little funny -- not rib-tickling, side-splitting funny, but funny enough to laugh. They laugh at good news, bad news, stock tickers, random Churchill quotes -- everything. You can tell it's a nervous tic, but you're powerless to either ignore it, or join in. At least they don't look expectantly at you the way someone does after they tell you a joke, waiting for you to laugh so that they can continue the conversation. The Laugher is perfectly content to laugh alone.

The Yes Man


During conversations we all go through periods where we nod to keep the speaker moving along, or mumble "Uh huh" when there's a brief silence (and it's obvious the speaker is expecting a response of some sort). The Yes Man makes prodding noises and mumbles prodding words during your sentences.

A: "Last night I was..."

B: "Uh huh."

A: "...looking at my old..."

B: "Yeah."

A: "...collection of used bandages..."

B: "Mmm hmmm."

The Fortune Cookie


This person has eaten WAY too many fortune cookies. No matter the subject matter they have a fortune cookie-type cliche response ready to go. It makes you wonder how they collect and store them!

A: "I don't know how I passed Calculus in college."


B: "The definition of a college professor is someone who talks in other people's sleep."


A: "Right.. my roommate aced his Calc final somehow. I think he cheated."


B: "A best friend is like a four leaf shamrock: hard to find and lucky to have."


A: "Whoa. You know, I just remembered this doctor's appointment I scheduled. I hate to get going."


B: "Embrace change, don't battle it."