The starer was daydreaming, then he realised he was, thus giving the awkward smile as an apology (“Sorry for staring, wasn’t meaning to give you the impression i want to cut your face off”)?
When I stare at people, I’m usually just zoning out. Sometimes, when a person notices that I’ve been “staring” at them, I’ll smile at them, so they don’t think I mean any harm. But ‘m sure I still come across as creepy.
@Violet That happens to me! On a bus I sort of daydream and when I snap back I realise I am staring right at someone, usually, with my luck, a perverted young/old man of some sort who then proceed to grab at my butt and follow me off the bus.
But if then again without bad luck.. I wouldn’t have any luck at all.
@TheOnlyException oh no! Nothing like that has happened to me, but I do remember this one time in high school, the sun was in my eyes, and my friend thought I was mugging her