What do you do?
It’s a seemingly innocent question to ask upon meeting someone for the first time. While it might be well intended, however, it’s not always the most welcome
Imagine the scene: you’re at a social gathering. The atmosphere’s relaxed and the air is buzzing with potential new friendships. You’re having a good time and you say hello to someone you haven’t met before. They smile, you exchange names and a couple of pleasantries. The conversation is about to continue – but then you sense The Question coming.
You can almost smell its approach and it fills you with dread. It’s an oft-asked query, almost inevitable as a conversational bridge. The person who asks it appears to have good intentions – to get to know you a little better, perhaps. And yet, for you, this question has claws and thorns. There is no escape. And so, you await its landing, under your skin: ‘What do you do?’