A simple trick to instantly defuse uncomfortable encounters

I remember this weird little trick from Derren Brown (a British mentalist). We’ve all had at least one of these encounters: someone clearly drunk, high, or mentally confused suddenly decides you’re their prime focus for whatever reason. They single you out and start talking to you, and you already know the situation could turn ugly in an instant because they come across as extremely unpredictable. Sometimes you can even see the malice in their eyes before they speak. Instead of engaging—trying to talk them down, asking what’s up, scaring them off—do this instead.

The moment they approach you, wait for them to start speaking. As soon as they do, immediately interrupt them with a nonsense phrase that has absolutely no connection to the situation. I believe Derren’s example was something like, “The wall wasn’t even supposed to be five feet tall!” Say it with conviction—as if it’s of the utmost importance—while pointing your finger toward some imagined object. Immediately walk away in the few seconds they are trying to process what is happening

The funny thing is that this also works on sober people most of the time. I’m sure there’s an interesting psychological explanation behind it. I’ve tried this more than once, and it actually works.