To ask for an all purpose canned response to toxic person you don’t want to engage with?

[TowerRavenSeven]

I have a unavoidable trip coming up and I need a canned, boring, non reactive, but not impolite, all purpose short response for a toxic person(s) who will be bringing up triggering subjects.

What is a good short answer to not engage with the person - even if you personally agree with them but don’t want to engage or talk to them about it? Unfortunately “F Off” doesn’t fall in the non-impolite category.
Thank you!

'Really.'

In a bored, offhand tone.

Uh-huh.

Headphones.

Pretend you've gone deaf.

Smile and nod.

Hmm yep, sorry 2 secs I need the loo

Standard responses to any teenager on a rant

oh…hmmm….really….I see…..what happened next? (but only if you can face listening for another half hour to the monologue)

when you cant face it any more….so sorry, need the loo….oh, give me a minute, I just have to quickly catch the cat/put a wash on/send an email (insert occasion specific excuse)…. Oh Im going to sneeze, give me a minute (palava it up and then change the subject when you have distracted them enough)….was that the doorbell…have you considered your relationship with God recently 🤣

how interesting

Assuming you're travelling by train or plane and you mean during the actual journey:

This is a really good book, have you read anything by this author.

This is a really good book, I've just reached an exciting part.

This is a really good book, you do have to concentrate though.

<Pause>

"Anyway, moving on..."

“You think so.” But not in a questioning tone.

'You smell like you have a flavour". Might give you a swerve.

"To be honest I'm not interested in............"

This where the smile and nod comes into its own

In the words of Mrs Brown,

”That’s nice.”

I’m not feeling the vibe like you are

its not something that is of interest to me

perhaphs another time

Oh dear.
What a shame.
Oh, right.
I'm not that bothered, to be honest.
Are you?
Did you?
Oh, ok.
Gosh, I'm tired/it's cold/it's late etc.
Really?

Silence can be good too, and when challenged on it 'I wasn't sure what to say'.

It would help if you were more specific, we could give better answers.

This is my go to! I use it a lot! never fails!

Yawn quite frequently.

'I don't really have anything to contribute to that I'm afraid'
'That's probably a conversation for another time'
'Maybe we should let this go go for the day and concentrate on...'
'I think we'd better steer clear of that one! How was your holiday by the way?'

Fascinating. Deadpan.

Look confused. 'Oh right?'

You won't mind if I don't chat will you? I'm going to make the most of this downtime and read my book / listen to some music / have a snooze.

If they interrupt then...I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude but I was looking forward to reading this book / listening to some music / having a little snooze.

If that fails just be blunt. 'Look I'm just too tired to make polite small talk with you on this journey...then ignore.

Does this person say triggering things on purpose?

If they raise a particular topic you vcan just say, 'Oh, I don;t know. It's not something I want to think about or discuss really.' Then if they continue they know they are overstepping the boundaries you just told them about.

if it is the person's whole behaviour, my preferred phrase is, 'Oh hang on, I just...' and then walk out of the room without explaining what you just remembered you needed to do. Then you can return in ten minutes when the moment will have passed, Idf they persist you can then say, 'Oh actually, I'm ready for bed/ fancy a cup of tea/need a shower/ am on my way out to the shops' etc.

Thank you! The pretending I have to sneeze is brilliant!! I’m going to smile and nod then pretend I have to sneeze. Then repeat.