Colleague wasting my entire 30 minute lunch break :-S

[janeve]

There's a lady in my workplace who regularly comes to sit in my office (I eat lunch at my desk whilst catching with social emails or reading the news etc).
I don't have any issue with her at all but she just talks "at" me rather than to me IYSWIM.
Talks endlessly about her cats, and I'm not the slightest bit interested. Stops me getting on with doing my own thing whilst having my lunch break. I prefer to just relax quietly at my desk, read news or phone my husband.
WWYD?

I was hauled into the managers office because a student complained I didn't make small talk with her and she was upset by it.
Just to set the scene - one of my parents had died unexpectedly two weeks earlier.

I asked the manager if she knew this and she did. I still got told off for not being chatty enough. I was told to apologise to the student. (She also knew my parent had died)

I kept feeling like I was in a different reality. I could barely talk to anyone. But there I was being told to make small talk. 🤦‍♀️

I think you're always going to have this sort of hassle when you have your lunch at your desk. Get up and get some peace elsewhere if that is an option, then nobody can interrupt you.

Have things improved for you @janeve ? Are you able to enjoy your lunchbreak without being interrupted by your colleague?