Goons

My workplace seems to have a disproportionate number of people who just have no social awareness. I am by no means the person who comes skipping into the office greeting everyone with a smile and a cheery "Good morning to you!" I don't think you need to say hi to every person you happen to walk past. However, there are certain instances where polite society dictates that you acknowledge you are sharing a space with someone else. 

Take, for example, the employee break room. Ours is small. Two people will fill it to capacity. It is very awkward, therefore, when you're in there and someone sidles up behind you to rummage in the fridge and doesn't even acknowledge your presence. There's one particular offender who I am still not certain isn't mute. He just stares me down if we pass in the hallway, despite my carefully-crafted "I recognize that we work together, but don't worry, I'm not going to try to stop you from what you're doing and engage you in conversation" half-smile. So when I run into him in the break room and he pretends I'm not there, I like to ambush him with a sunny "Good morning!" but that just elicits more blank stares. 

But sometimes it isn't worth the battle. Sometimes I just stare back.