My dad decided to host a barbeque yesterday. Overall, it was a success. But I wasn't interested in it much. Nothing against our neighbors, we just wouldn't have anything to talk about and the thought of standing in a corner shoveling food isn't my idea of a good time

So my dad tried to encourage me to come and had me do some menial tasks that kept me coming over to help him set up and grab the snacks for the table etc

It's in our front yard btw

And as the neighbors show up an older guy stops me

Who are you, haven't seen you around

Well, I'm a hermit during the winter

He shakes my hand, tells me "That's ashame, there's a whole world out there."

So I've been told.

I'M TRYING TO BE FUNNY or joke or something. Like haha... he doesn't seem to catch on.

"So what you doing here, you in school? You live here?"

Yes, I live here. Yes, I'm doing my master's. No, not around here though

"All right, well why don't you ask me something."

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.........................................

"How do you like polka? You know polka? It's music for happy people."

By now I'm looking for an escape from the conversation and I get lectured about polka for a whole minute. He tells me to google something something polka song and then my dad finally gives his next set of demands

I excused myself and BOOKED it never been happier to do a bunch of random nonsense that he could've done himself but needs me to participate kinda tasks

LMAO WHY ARE PEOPLE LIKE THIIIIIIIS

By the end of it, or somewhere. He was like "Oh, I can tell you don't want to talk to me"

Sir, pls. What kind of ice breaker is polka

Anyways, I grabbed food and scurried inside and hid for the rest of the event

It's not just me, right

LIKE sure I could've been more bubbly or smiley but uh no?

blargh

Tbh that guy sounds awkward af

Maybe he was trying to rib you? But there comes a point where if the person is not responding as planned to ribbing, you stop

He sounds like the type of person who, if he sees someone who isn't smiling or being outwardly EXTREMELY HAPPY, means they must be horribly depressed and it is his Duty as an American to tell them they shouldn't be sad

The polka thing... Is very odd

It was a truly mind boggling encounter. What's worse is he definitely told me his name but all that really stuck out is Polka

So he's just polka guy to me now lmao

i suck at remembering names myself, i need to hear it no less than 10 times over the course of several weeks

so he would also be polka guy to me