Awkward

Causing or feeling embarrassment or inconvenience, is just one definition of awkward. Sometimes this feeling may come over a room when spending a certain amount of time with someone we only know casually. You may feel the need to have conversation, but not quite sure what to talk about to break the ice. You don't want to bring up a potentially hostile subject, just in case your audience may have a strong opinion. That would be awkward. There's also the opposite situation where someone may have been personally close to you and either party may have committed some heinous wrong against the other, and one of the members decides the relationship needs a clean break, either temporarily or permanent. Then you happen to be in a public setting, and find yourself sharing the same aisle of the same bookstore, or happen to be invited to a party of a mutual friend who is not aware of the strained relationship. That can be awkward. Sometimes people like to make the situation awkward. They feel they have every right to be there as much as you do. Technically, 'yes'. But, common courtesy should tell them 'no'. Listen to me, I sound like Ann Landers - up to this point. My solution is, be the more civil party, and leave. But not until you've told a few select people the 'whole truth' ;) How he ruined your sister's marriage by cheating on his wife with a sheep, or something like that. Some call it 'embellishment', others call it a 'lie', still others consider it 'retribution'. If you happen to be the guilty individual, spare yourself the awkwardness and embarrassment, by simply excusing yourself, and regretfully so. Time heals all wounds, and if you stand a chance of ever salvaging a relationship, time and space are a requisite.