"Bus-Stop Syndrome (BSS)" defined

Dear Diary,

Came back from the 1st day of the 2-day Singapore Cardiology Society’s annual general scientific meeting at the Grand Copthorne Hotel. It was a nice place to eat and learn from the cardiologists, some of which were prominent foreign faculty members. However, there seemed to be a slight biasness in some of the presenters’ lectures. Obviously the pharmaceutical companies were behind this, hee... I was pretty much alone most of the afternoon and it didn’t feel good. I may get the “goodies” from the booths and even eat a sumptuous 3-course lunch but something was lacking. I wasn’t exactly the only one alone. Many participants seemed to be alone too and they usually were the ones dozing off during the lectures, hahaha... I did not though ;-)

Said “hi” to a fellow ex-classmate who is a sales rep for a French pharmaceutical company. Then there was one sales rep at the Merck booth who was pretty captivating. I was talking to her at her booth and making so many bloopers! I meant I actually casually commented that Glucophage XL seemed like a new product... gosh... it has been in the market since end 2007! A mistake but she was nice to say that it is still a “relatively” new drug. When she asked where I “am practising”, I don’t even know why “Tan Tock Seng Hospital” just shot out from my lips. I quickly corrected that and said I once practised there but now in a medical device company. Yah... that’s the whole mess! I am so glad I don’t have to deal too many pretty girls in my life, haha... I am so fallible! Yikes!

Anyway, during my university days... I once described a situation of awkwardness between a guy and a girl when they meet each other in the midst of their friends / classmates. This usually happens at a bus-stop. The guy and the girl would usually be totally close chatty friends when away from people they know. I coined a word “Bus-stop syndrome” (BSS). I think only one other friend of mine knew this word which we shared. That was like more than 3 years ago. At that time when I did an online search, there was no such phrase. I even contemplated adding this phrase into the Wikipedia at that time. However, recently (in fact, yesterday)... in a random internet search, I realised that this phrase now exists! The definitions slightly differ but I thought I will include all four definitions here in this blog entry.

Bus Stop Syndrome (BSS)

1. An awkwardness or silent awareness between close communicating friends of different genders when they are together in the presence of their mutual friends. A possible sign of hidden interest beyond platonic one. (Andrew’s definition, 2003)

2. The eventual comfortable state whereby a person fails to communicate for a period of time till the perceived awkwardness overrides the perceived possible reward of communicating with the person-of-interest. (http://www.sexual-stress.co.uk/bus_stop.htm)

3. The awkwardness between strangers as they find themselves together in a confined area (eg. bus stop, lifts). Signs include humming, hawing and averting gazes. (http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg31311.html)

4. A situation at a bus-stop when everyone is looking at the direction of the bus will be arriving from. The person who sits ahead of the rest at the first seat, finds it hard and awkward to look back at the opposite direction because the other commuters are looking in his direction and “staring” at him. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bus%20Stop%20Syndrome)

I am sure there might be more definitions out there but I am just amazed how a “conjured” phrase between myself and a friend, can be “replicated” exactly and having similar meanings by other people around the globe. The power of language?

That’s about all. Still vacillating if I should be taking up a Sunday School teacher position. Maybe I will go and meet the superintendent tomorrow and that 2nd day of the Cardiology symposium. Hope I will meet someone there and not be alone... oh well, haha... ;-)

Have a nice day!

God Bless,

Andrew