the human mute button

I have discovered that I have a unique talent for immediately stopping all light conversation every time I walk into the kitchen at work.

No matter what sort of banter I can hear from the next room (my office is very close to the kitchen), no matter how ebullient or happy the mood, no matter if there are two people or eight, they all instantly shut up when I walk in.

Am I spooky? Are people afraid of me?

Maybe it's cos I'm afraid of them? I've always been socially inept.

My friend at work, Trish, says that it's because I "really own the space around" me. Is that some sort of veiled way of saying I should lose weight? Heh.