Anonymous wrote:I had something very similar happen. I had just had a blepharoplasty and had a bad inflammatory response. I looked like I had been beat up. I reluctantly went to the local pharmacy to grab my steroid and saw someone I knew there. I avoided her because I was in pain and just wanted to go, but I know she saw me, and she knew I saw her.
I thought for sure she’d reach out but she didn’t. Then I sort of felt bad that she didn’t “care enough” to reach out. Now I realize she was giving me that “sliver of privacy” someone mentioned up thread.
With all that said, from experience, you can’t win lol
The thing is if you looked like you'd been beaten up you could have just gone through something *very traumatic*. OP's friend might have been assaulted. I'd lean towards privacy or a generic how are you.