what happens after

Pretty much any time you run into an acquaintance you haven't seen in a while on the street or at a party or in the dining hall, you'll chat for a few minutes, ask how Becky is doing, reference that one funny thing that happened that day when it was snowing really hard and then part ways (usually one of you has a friend who is waiting patiently for the fakersation to end). When it's time to part ways though, one of you almost always says something to the effect of "Definitely give me a call sometime" or "We need to catch up - let's get dinner next week" or "Please e-mail me about seeing that movie, OK?" and it always seems really earnest and there's always a lot of smiling and laughing and back-patting. But both parties know there will be no calls or dinners or movies... and that's totally fine, because everyone knows that's just what you say when these things happen.

We've all been there.

But what I'm really interested in is that moment right after the parting of ways, when you have said your goodbyes to the acquaintance and you are walking down 14th Street with your roommate (the one who was waiting patiently by the parking meter during the convo). Your roommate will look at you and say something like "That was weird" or "So awkward" or "Who was that?" And even though you know you aren't going to call the acquaintance like you said you would, and even though in all likelihood you won't see him again for a few months (you'll check his Facebook once in a while to stay updated), you feel this need to defend. "I actually really like him," you'll say. Or "Actually, I'm totally gonna take him up on that movie offer." Or "He was in my English class and he's actually really smart." And you say "actually" with this overzealous authority that sounds disingenuous even to yourself the moment it comes out of your mouth.