Staying ambiguous

In the last few weeks I've been entertaning myself trying to come up with a way to avoid answering some types of questions without being too obvious about it. I wasn't much successful, but maybe some of you can beat the challenge.

Here's an example:

You're talking to a friend and see someone looking your way. Your friend asks you: "Do you know this guy?"

Now, for some reason you don't want to admit that you do. You don't want to say no either, because that would be a lie. If you avoid answering, it's like saying "yes, but I don't want to admit it". What would you say?

My idea was to confuse things even more by saying: "Do I have to answer? Haha, but that's making you think I do know him, right?"

Would you get fooled? What would you say instead? If you feel like expanding the situation into more than one line of dialogue, that's fine.

 

You could say "He looks familiar."

 

Try something that chills the exchange.

I always say, "I think I saw him once in general population in jail."

It's also a great way to rid yourself of the guy you're talking to. Suddenly he has to run home and clean out his garage.

 

You could suddenly tackle your friend to the ground, yell "Stay down! I'll go get help!" then flee, leave town, and never come back. The question is, how badly do you really want to get out of this situation?

(I haven't had my coffee yet this morning. You can probably tell.)

 

Maybe a partly relevant observation or question?
"I wonder why he's looking at us like that?"

 

I think you're thinking about subtext in writing, and it is an important tool to writing a story -- and the great thing about it is that it allows more people to interpret how they want to, making them relate far more easier. Also, life is full of subtext -- either or both of action/dialogue in stories can achieve it.

Roger asked, "Do you know that guy?"

Simon glanced over. "Nope." Whilst scratching his nose. "Shall we go get this coffee?"

Bad example of mine or not. Subtext is great. *grins*

 

if it were me, id say, he seems familiar from somewhere, probably school, there was 2,500 of us there (which is true, i was at a large secondary comprehensive school)

 

I laugh. "Hell, man, I don't even know me! And don't change the subject just because you're losing the argument."

 

I would ask "What guy???"

 

"Do you know this guy?"
"He added me on facebook, but we've never actually talked,"

 

"I barely know anybody in this town any more. Did I tell you that Joe, you know, the one from my senior class, moved to Pittsburgh? I don't know why--I read that Pittsburgh has the fewest sunny days of any other city in the country. It's not as if it's known for the food. Though I did read about some restaurant that puts the fries _in_ the sandwich..."

 

.
That's a guy?

 

I like this one.

 

"Do you know this guy?"
"I have no idea. Ever since the accident I ... sniff ... don't ... sniff ... recognize people." I burst into tears.


Oh wait, the assignment was to be ambiguous. Never mind.
I like ChickenFreak's too.