Overly Social Neighbor is standing on the porch talking to us through a closed window.

[RockRaven]

Overly Social Neighbor will not go away. Overly Social Neighbor cannot take a hint.

We are not opening the door. We are not opening the window.

Overly Social Neighbor does not social distance properly. Yesterday Overly Social Neighbor was standing in the street talking to everyone who passed by that she could successfully ensnare in a conversation. At arm's distance or less. Walkers. Dog walkers. Kids on bicycles. Five minute conversations. Ten minute conversations. Touching hands. Touching arms. Touching shoulders. Giving hugs.

Overly Social Neighbor has always been like that. Overly Social Neighbor has not changed her behavior. We all must change our behavior.

I have stopped paying attention to Overly Social Neighbor. Others carry the unending conversation now. I am distracting myself with typing.

Deep down maybe I've always been a curmudgeon. But I have not behaved like a curmudgeon to my neighbors. This virus makes me behave like a curmudgeon to my neighbors. I hate this virus.

The conversation is sputtering out. Long awkward pauses now. Will Overly Social Neighbor finally move on, and leave our porch? Someone unwittingly opens a new line of conversation. Overly Social Neighbor is off and running again.

I sigh.

[irisblue]

1. She sounds like a very very lonely woman, which is sad

Also, have you tried, "I'm going in now to nap, I have a cough"?

[cwydro]

2. Why not tell her you don't want to interact at a close distance?

Seems easy enough.

[sdfernando]

4. Doesn't matter

I have experience with this type....the statement will just go over her head...its like she won't even hear it. Or if she does, it will only be for the moment and she will be right back at in no time....sorry to say that this person will get the virus if she doesn't have it already.

[lunasun]

6. My experience with these types too . Sorry to say you can be rude af and they still keep trying

to engage.

[The Genealogist]

3. Please make this into a poem

There is a poem in there, I just know it. I am glad I don't have an Overly Social Neighbor right now. I have few neighbors, only two neighboring residential properties. I've lived here for over seven years and never spoken a word to a member of either current household.

[Aristus]

5. I know people like that.

They don't want a friend; they want a Wailing Wall, someone they can talk to so they can enumerate all of the problems in their lives in minute detail, repeating them over and over as deemed necessary. Not wanting input, suggestions, or any actual help. They just want to complain.

I even have patients like that. They don't want me to treat their conditions; they just want to talk about them. The minute there's a pause in the flow of speech, I try to suggest a treatment, or at least an appropriate clinical workup, whereupon they move on to another topic. It's maddening.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. I know folks like that

They are the embodiment of the phrase: "I survived a 3 hour meeting that should have been an email."

[lunasun]

7. The reason doors have locks

[diva77]

9. On the positive side, your description is HILARIOUS!!! Sorry, I empathize, but I also am

grateful for the good laugh.