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Most of the time, in social situations, blunt and tactless is the way to go. I'm normally a guy who doesn't want to offend or hurt a person's feelings, but generally people don't get or don't respect polite responses and diplomatic attempts to ask them to leave you alone.
In the end, the best approach is like ripping off a band-aid ... tell them what you want quickly and directly. Do not hunch your shoulders or bury your face in your book. Tell them immediately, first thing, in a firm, self-confident voice that you are not in the mood to talk and do not want his/her company.
Otherwise, if you go through all the gestures you've been doing, people will absolutely hang around because they think they just have to wear you down. You're not sending a clear signal, no matter what YOU think your shoulder shrugs and one word answers should be communicating.
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Lead me not into temptation ... follow me, I know a shortcut!
As the poets have mournfully sung,
death takes the innocent young,
the rolling in money,
the screamingly funny,
and those who are very well hung.
Your days are numbered - 26,280 per person on average - 2,000,000,000 heartbeats ... tick, tick, tick
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