Three good approaches:
-make the rounds and say a parting word to each person there who cares whether or not you are leaving.
-as someone else mentioned, piggyback on someone else's departure, with a vague wave and "bye!" to the group
-if it's most comfortable for you, thank the host/hostess and slip out quietly. As long as one person knows you are leaving, people are less likely to wonder where you ran off to.
Marie
It's been a long time since this happened to me. 1-2-1 is my only chance. I see you as a genius who guides me. You must have experience. This is Queen's Manners I was taught early in life and forgot. The ever forever smile & greet is too far beyond my comfort zone.
This goes for any friends, strangers, or new people and when each firing boss shows me the door and tells me to say goodbye to everyone in turn. This was an indicator of me lo longer being capable of such things. So far I've been friendly as acted. One incident I deeply regretted doing as told and ended in deep tears outside the door with the boss with just one word to utter, staring into oblivion. I felt forced to be prim and pretty, and wish I'd picked up all the furniture and thrown these at the staff and tried to garotte the boss. Next time... if ever I get to work at all, ever, I would behave violently like that because my timid blessings and handkissing is not for for me.
Such a withdrawal from life being rejected is tough to cope with. Each time I've acted nice on greeting. It feels empty
A plumber left my house last week and probably detected my state of being as I wouldn't stop talking about the job in hand and myself. I'm desperate for company. He walked town the stairs with a smirk and a feeble mocking wave. Last neighbour put up with me at her place for an hour. We left doing her recycling and she made a feeble wrist shake and finger wiggle.
Long time ago before 2000 I was in a houseful with my uni buddy on his socialite peak after our warehouse party, with swathes of girls our age. I won't forget him saying "say goodbye to Amelia" when I left. We'd never speak about greetings like that. I think he's seen my shortcomings.
Looking way back...
Trying to remember how i was...
I'd eye up everyone as they were glaring at me... whoooahh that would make me feel good to be wanted
I'd leave with:
"NEXT!"
Ummm... I need to research my shopping checkout manner, where they always look the other way. No words. Those haircutters, and gym trainers. No words.