Brothers and Sisters!

I call upon you to help me implement a change.
At uni, I have developed some friendships over the years - some close, some 'what's his name again?'. There is a very special kind of friendship which I've found at Rhodes: the 'hey you!' relationship.

Walking on campus, see person who: dated a chick in my res for a week/was in my first year Philosophy tutorial/is Lucifer's perve-boy/was in a Journ group with me in 2002/and so on...
As such individuals walk past, it is customary to smile as they are within passing range, and say "Hey!".
This is routinely followed by a reply, in the same vein but perhaps with slight variation upon the initial greeting.
"Hey you!"

Now here's the sticking point. As far as I'm concerned, this guy or gal is pretty close to qualifying as an unknown to me. If not for the fact that we both (usually) recognise each other's faces from somewhere, this interaction wouldn't take place.

So: don't ask me how I am.

Firstly, I don't want to really get into it, so I'll probably say that I'm fine. We're not tight like that, you and me, okay 'hey person'? Thus... answer already known.
Secondly, the sheer physics of the 'hey you' passing don't allow for this extension of communication. By the time you've said it, and I've heard and registered it, you'll be equally next to me. People don't stop walking for these rendezvous - if we did it would take an hour to get to your next lecture. So, I have to answer you; you're already past me, I have to turn my neck to ask how you are (because not asking when you've asked is just rude) and by the time you've replied I'm out of earshot.

If you too encounter 'hey people' (remember, if someone is a 'hey person' to you, you are one to them too), do me a favour and don't ask how they are. If this is currently a habit of yours, drop it now. And if they ask you, don't reply.
C'mon, if we all work as a team I know it can become a reality!

Unless of course it's just a Rhodes phenomenon, in which case I've ranted on for a whole blog about it...