I hate... small talk.

Was walking out of school today to have lunch at Coronation Plaza, when I ran into someone I know. She was a well-meaning friend who happened to be walking there too, to buy a packet of rice for her mom. So we set off together. The conversation went something like this:

"You're going there to eat lunch? By yourself?"
"... I'm quite used to eating by myself..."
"Oh..."
*pause*
"Liddat very fun meh?"
"...Since when was lunch supposed to be fun?"

... So we walked on with me utterly paralysed for something to say. Temporary dysfunction of the mouth muscles seems to happen just when I need it the least: ALWAYS when I'm around people I don't know well. Fortunately, Singapore weather is seldom neutral, giving rise to a piece of well-known advice:

When in doubt, Talk about the Weather.

Luckily, the sun was shining REAAALLY brightly today, so I prepared a line in my head: Wow, it's really hot today huh? Just as I prepared my tongue to articulate the words...

"Sucks. The weather is so hot."

I was dumbfounded. She had stolen my line! What was there left for me to say? "Err... yeah"? "It's been like this for the past one week"? "Yes, that sucks, doesn't it?"
...

To be fair, I'm actually making it sound worse than it really was. Though I'm sure the conversation was about as exciting to both of us as water is to a dead squid. Crash course in small talk? I think I need it.

One good thing happened today that made me very happy. I was daydreaming away on the bus when a picture started forming in my head; something I think I'll do in charcoal and coloured pencil. It's not yet complete though. Then as I alighted and started walking home, another picture came. Due to the memories that inspired them, the first picture will be called "Found"; the second, "Lost". Lost and Found. ^^