How do I ............................

[Twoapenny]

avoid people in an enclosed space?  My son has a sports lesson at the weekend, parents sit and wait, there's a small seating area and you need to be on site so nowhere else to sit.  Only half an hour but I cannot escape three women who drive me mad.  Wherever I plonk myself at least one of them will come and sit next to me and then the others follow.  I've tried to politely keep myself out of the conversation, tonight I tried being a bit more abrupt and saying I thought the topic was weird and I wasn't joining in.  It's that old chestnut of people talking over you, not listening and not caring whether or not you want to be involved, very much about what they want.  Getting to the point where I don't want to keep up the activity but my son really enjoys it and he's doing really well.  Perhaps I just need ear plugs?

[Gaining Strength]

Give earplugs a go and take something to occupy yourself like a book or magazine or needlework.

[Hopalong]

Take a comfy folding chair and a book?
Smile and say hello and just relax and read?

Ask yourself if you can imagine their chatter as surf.
Not unpleasant, but just ... sounds of life.

It's just life. They're chattering like birds because
it's how they feel connected. It's only sound.

You can contribute some minor notes to the chorus
or remain silent. You're not implicated in being ordinary
if you let them chat over you, if you join right in, or if
you sit apart and read. You're just doing what you want
and if you give yourself permission for that, it'll be okay.

Good luck
Hops

[lighter]

Wear
ear
buds.

When they approach, and try to include you in the conversation, point to the eb's with an apologetic smile and shrug, then go back to whatever it is you're busy focusing on.

Maybe?

So sorry they couldn't be an uplifting point of fellowship for you.  Can you turn it around, and make it work for you somehow>

Lighter