Some people

You ever meet one of those guys that anytime you're around him, you feel like he's playing a game of poker? Always careful in his answers with words, very diplomatic and political with everything, never using absolutes, rarely saying yes or no?

I encounter them all the time. School, work, public, and sadly, church. I generally tend to not be in their general vicinity for long unless I just have to. But there does come the occasion that I must interact with them. I guess the latter happens more often at school and work for me, due to the nature of the environment.

One thing I know, whenever I meet Mr. Shifty, is that when I'm done dealing with him, I'm ready for a nap, shower, and/or retreating in to a cave, swearing off any and all people for a certain length of time. I'm usually mentally and physically exhausted. It's also disappointing.

For the most part, I want to believe that every person I meet and/or know is a genuine, good person. A measuring stick I use from time to time is not necesarily how nice they're being to me, but how I see them treating others. When Mr. Shifty is being nice to me, I think it's okay; when I see him being a jackass to somebody else for something that doesn't warrant it, I question why he was so nice to me. The general rule of thumb I've come to realize is that these guys are a mutated spawn of the "Gimme" generation - they're the "What's-in-it-for-me?" generation.

The WIIFM's are different, though, in that it's not easy to spot them up front (thus my observation of how they act towards others). They lie (usually by omission, but sometimes bold-faced) and cheat, but usually do so in such a demeanor that would make a snake-oil salesman proud, pulling the wool over innocent victims ensuring them of safety, tranquility, blah, blah, blah.

I just know that I'm exhausted whenever I leave their presence.

I also know this - they make lousy poker players.