I used to go out of my way to avoid meeting or talking with unfamiliar people. I didn't already know well, but I had never stopped to think why, to think that perhaps my discomfort was the result of the difficulty people had understanding me. It was embarrassing for both them and me. This is sad. I think people often think of me as cold or unfriendly, but I care about people, and I just wish this wasn't the impression I conveyed.
Some people build themselves up by knocking other people down.
As a child people would make fun of my accent and the way I spoke. This made me dislike speaking, and want to speak to people as little as possible. I retreated into my shell. Whenever I tried to come out of my shell people would gain pleasure putting me down. I withdrew into my own little world within which I was safe.