This archive report was first published on 14 July 2019.
On a sweltering July day, I arrived at a conference room early, as I often do, only to find myself alone with the event organizers making last-minute preparations.
Just as I was starting to feel like I was the only punctual person in the room, a woman walked in, scanning the space for the perfect seat. She smiled and made her way towards me, introducing herself as Alice.
As we exchanged pleasantries, Alice launched into a conversation that would leave me mortified. She shared her opinions on everything from the economy to omega-3 supplements, and even went so far as to call her mother-in-law a 'witch.'
As the conversation continued to spiral out of control, I found myself struggling to keep up. I had never met anyone like Alice before, and I wasn't sure how to politely extricate myself from the conversation without offending her.
As I sat there, trying to process the sensory overload, I couldn't help but wonder if I was the only one who had ever encountered someone like Alice. If you have, how did you deal with it without offending them?
— Caroline Njung'E, Editor, 'Society' and Magazines, 'Daily Nation'
