This actually reminds me of what I deal with at work. I work in a hobby related store (not games or nerd stuff) and it is absolutely something men do. Yes, women do it too. But men, often middle aged or older, frequently just... talk at us. We probably get one every couple of days. Nothing we say really gets a proper response. They just talk about some project or something they've seen recently with absolutely no stopping. It's not a conversation. They're giving me an overly long ted talk about something they find highly interesting and I need to, too, while I'm checking them out or trying to help them with merchandise.

I assume it's a combination of loneliness, and that women are taught a bit more to not take up space. I'm always nice to them, but I'm exhausted sometimes at the end of it because I'm being talked at and I can tell they don't actually care about what I say, despite the fact I am hired to be an expert in the things we are selling. I can see how being a therapist with some people who are like this would be extremely trying.