What are you doing here?

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Have you ever been asked this question? I have and you know what? Sometimes, I would really love to have answered, "Duh, do you even need to ask? I'm here because there's something to do, OBVIOUSLY."

The funny thing, however, is that I believe people usually ask this question because they're curious you made an appearance after an absence, and genuinely out of goodwill. Unfortunately, what they don't realise is the negative undertone in the question - nothing better to do? - which is absolutely dampening.

I always wonder why people don't say, "Hey, it's been a long time. How's it going for ya?" I'm not sure about you, but I definitely prefer the latter.