Anon tries being friendly

Anon is unlucky.

But anon did almost get some

This is like the plot to a porno, except anon was a coward.

Maybe if he just went with a "Hi/Hello" and not "Hi, how are you" which easily leads to more talking

The trick is to stick to one or two words and don't stop walking. "Hello" or "good morning" with a slight nod. Don't slow down. Don't wait for an answer, they'll likely just murmur a response as they pass. Try not to look them in the eye. For God's sake, don't look them in the eye.