Awkward Silence

If you know me - you will know I don't really stumble with making conversation but for some reason I am having trouble when I go to the gym. I don't think I know what to say to people half dressed, that might be key!

I have made one new friend he is a tubby old short guy who will chat the hind leg off a donkey - don't know why we use that saying, answers on a postcard please if you know. Today, he was telling me about sending his son out into the field to shot a sheep that had a ciest, as if that wasn't gruesome enough, he then told his son to take a knife with him. This was to cut it's belly open to see if it had been carrying a lamb - I'm not shitting you, this was the topic of conversation in my steam room! I couldn't make this shit up i t was bizarre. Anyway, the sheep was carrying a lamb so there was a happy ending to his tale.

Am I better off not talking to the people in my gym. They all seem really nice and this guy is really lovely but his topic of conversation is so far removed from the usual which is great but a bit abstract. It's definately making me more aware that I now live up north. He has been nursing this lamb and his dog has fostered it. His other topic of conversation is that he is bloody loaded and he made his money in scrap! He is harmless, really funny and assures me he could show me a good night out in Leeds but and call me shallow....... not attractive, even if he is loaded.

Anyway, once I am left alone in the steam room and new people come in, I find I cannot talk to them unless they initiate it. I can't do uncomfortable silences either. I love the steam room though even if it does prove to be difficult for me. At least they can't see how red my face is in there, so no - one talks about that. I bet they do talk about my redness though when I come out of the steam room with a beetroot coloured face ha ha! I think I have issues with my gym - wonder if it is because I am not used to being this good to myself and chilling out or is it that I have issues with silence. Think I have just been on my own for too long now...... need some banter but think I would like to choice a nicer subject other than killing poorly animals and cutting unborn ones out of its poor unfortunate belly - sorry to share this with you, feel it is only fair! What would you do in my situation, discuss!

Thanks for tuning in

Stan xx