Social Obligations

(Scene opens on a man, sitting alone, typing on his iPhone. You hear the tapping of the ‘keys.’) 

 MAN: Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there. No. Sorry, I’ve just met you and already I’m lying. I did see you there, how could I not when you’re wearing such an…interesting outfit as that. No, I did see you there, but I’m pretending to do something important on my phone so we don’t have to do that thing where we wave to each other in the distance but then keep walking at each other. I recognize you from class. You sit three rows back, four chairs over. I think you’re really smart, which intimidates me, which is why I’m pretending to be on my phone right now. That way, when you walk by, I can pretend to glance up and smile at you. Surprised to see you. But without that awkwardness. And you can just keep walking and I can just keep sitting here and we can both feel like we’ve fulfilled out societal obligations for the day.