During a party... how can I politely disengage from the people I am talking to?

Say that you need to go get a drink, or you have to go say hi to someone, and say you’ll talk to them leter. Then, don’t.

I have the bad habit of passing them off to someone more drunk or more gregarious than I with a simple introduction.

Either that or by saying something incredibly offensive.

Or you can just whimper about having to pee and disappear.

You say, “Excuse me, but I’d like to go talk to my friend over there before he/she gets out of my sight.” Then go.

Bathroom or “Oh look, there’s _______!” The second can be anything from cocktail weenies to a person you “haven’t seen in forever.” This works really well when the person/thing is someone that the person who has you cornered doesn’t like and has no reason to follow you for.

@holden GA

I widen my eyes and open my mouth in that universal look of horror and scream “What the fuck is THAT ?!?”, as I point behind them. When they turn to look…I’m gone. If they ask me about it later I claim it wasn’t me. If they push the subject, I just repeat it.

Drooling also works. As does Tourette’s.

Latrine inspection.

Newbie question…is giving a GA to someone for making you laugh good Fluther etiquette?

@SABOTEUR No. Flurve is not wanted here. Now be gone.

I said, “Be gone”, sir!

@Fluthermucker: OK…but you’re one funny mo fo…

@SABOTEUR Thank you, sir. You are obviously a man of intelligence, refined taste and unquestionable character.

you tell them that you wish to end this discussion and then leave. works every time. =]

@SABOTEUR Can’t tell you how many smart-ass answers have multitudes of GAs. Go ahead and lurve the funnies!

@SABOTEUR – Absolutely. Lurve any comment that makes you laugh, makes you think, or teaches you something.

say “bitch i dont got time for dis shit”, stalk off and continue to look busy.

@Darwin @avvooooooo Thank you.

And there’s always the quick glance at your watch, accompanied with the words “OMG! Just look at the time. Gotta run.”

There is also an effective strategy in some cases that involves TMI. Tell the person all about your prostate (making sure to call it your “prostrate”) and about how you have to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes and what the doctor has proposed to do about the problem. When the person starts to look queasy, let them off lightly by saying “Speaking of which, gotta go find the john.” They will be absolutely delighted to see the back of you.

@Darwin Yeah, the old “Say, does this look infected to you?” trick is a tried and true method to disengage from nearly any conversation. It’s like the finest lock-pick for escaping that uncomfortable someone that has you shackled like Houdini to a radiator heater…and there is at least one at every party.

smoke break.

I learned from a Beetle Bailey strip 40 years ago that if you’re laughing, you can walk away with impunity.

Plato was seen in the first panel yukking it up, and then he explains that he didn’t think the joke was funny, but “if you’re laughing, it’s OK to walk away”.

I say I got to go and get something fromt the car.
Then I actually get in the car, drive home and go to sleep.
Me no likey “parties”.

Oh, I forgot. The convenient “on silent” cell phone in the pocket. A “My mom is calling, either she needs me to drive her to the liquor store, bail her out of jail, or I need to be sure to bring that paper home on Tuesday. Let me go find out which.” and walking outside or out of their range while fake phone talking is easy.

Creepy guy in the bar won’t leave you alone? Its the jealous ex. Who’s very, very big and very, very aggressive. :D

Hey, who farted?

Damn beanie weanies.