The Long Good Bye

Do you ever email or instant message someone and you want to wrap up the conversation but it goes a little something like this?

Them: Thank you so much, good to chat with you.

Me: You are very welcome. Good to talk to you as well. (At this point you go on with your work because you think you are done with your little communiqué.)

Them: I sure appreciate all your efforts.

Me: Don’t mention it. (OK we are done with all the pleasantries. Right?)

Them: Well I feel like you need to know that you are a valued member of our team. Thanks again.

Me: You are welcome. Have a nice day.

Them: You to. Have a wonderful day.

Me: Thank you, you do the same

Them: Thank you so much. Talk to you later.

Me: Ok.

Them: Ok. Thanks so much, good to chat with you…

And so it goes with all the cyclical pleasantries, of saying “thank you” and “don’t mention it” like eighty times and frankly it is a little grating after a while.

Let’s be honest, this is why I can’t instant message people, because I am never sure when we are actually done with the conversation. It always goes on and on with “good to talk to you”, and “always a pleasure” and “we’ll have to get together really soon”. And you are not sure if you should click out, because you know you are done with this little conversation you are having, but you are not sure how to really send a clear message that yes, in fact, you are done talking with this person

I think I am going to start ending all my conversations with how they do it on Star Trek, with me saying “end communication”.

I think Captain Picard implemented this because he must have had similar problems while instant messaging the Klingons.

Man those Klingons never shut up with the good byes! Am I right?

Comments

Nathan said…
You have just described nearly every IM conversation I have with people, and I can't figure out why they keep droning on and on.

My conclusion is that they need to have the last word. So, when I find myself in this never ending spiral, I just stop typing and it fixes the problem. Yeah, they may think I'm the rudest guy at work, but now I don't have 20 different windows open trying to say good by for 30 minutes.
April 12, 2010 at 9:30 AM
Bart said…
You could always wait exactly two minutes after they finish typing, and then just type this in your chat window:

..crickets...

and see what happens. Let me know how that goes.
April 13, 2010 at 8:52 PM
Carrot Jello said…
Er...maybe it's you that's keeping it going. I'm pretty sure you could have slipped a goodbye in there. You know, instead of the second line, you' could have just said, "Mmmkay, bye!"
I think you are a conversation enabler. You're allowing it to happen.
I'm pretty sure there are support groups for things like this.
Mmkay, bye!
April 14, 2010 at 7:54 AM
Megann said…
You need to review the SNL from way back when with Helen Hunt. Buh, bye now...okay, yeah...buh, bye!
April 15, 2010 at 4:08 PM
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