And you would be wrong.

I used to be quiet as a mouse. I never said anything.. People disliked me because I didn't join in with the conversation, because when they asked me something, I missed the point.

For instance, in my mid-20s, I asked a friend from school days about the engagement ring she was wearing. She said, "I'm not telling you because you never tell me anything."

I recall, in my early 40s, out with a guy, and I repeated something he said to me. He looked at me and said, "Oh, so you do listen." He thought because I didn't respond to what he said that I didn't listen.

Firstly, my mind was completely blank from all the trauma. I had the emotional understanding of a 5 year old. I had never witnessed conversation between others, so I didn't know what it was. One psychologist told me I had grown up like a wolf-child.

I am not arrogant. I had no social skills. As my interaction with clients was only over the phone, and as I was always to the point and polite, while they might have valued me and respected my work, that does not mean that they liked me.

I don't socialize at all. Never have. When I went out on dates, I remained quiet throughout the date because I thought that I wasn't supposed to talk. Why did I think that? Because my mother would beat me up if I opened my mouth, and if I said anything at boarding school, I would be punished. So I jjut thought that being quiet and saying nothing was good behaviour. I behaved well.

And, yes, you're right, I have had to deal with a lot of shitty people in life. That said, the really good people have always had my back.