| Do you enjoy chatting with "strangers" in real life?
Posted: 4/16/2009 10:23:58 PM | I do. Here's a quick story about my random moment at Blockbuster Video today.
Walking in I spotted a cute girl with her boyfriend right in front of the door; she was filling out an application form. They appeared to be high school kids.
I grabbed a movie and went to check it out. The boyfriend had stepped outside leaving his girlfriend alone to fill out the form. The cashier (a nice older lady) was talking to the girl and then she started making small chat with me as she rung me up.
She tells me that the girl is her son's girlfriend, 16 years old and that she'll most likely end up being her daughter-in-law. I just chuckled, because of how she stated it. I told her "Well there's still a LOT of time... you might not want to count your chickens before they hatch." (I looked over at the girl and thought to myself, "Well, if the BF has any kind of brain, she does look like a keeper")
The cashier laughed and we made some more small talk. Just an interesting little moment spent with a stranger I wanted to share. This is why I enjoy interacting with strangers and people from all walks of life. Man, 16 years old... talk about a puppy! Made me feel kinda old, being 9 years her senior and all! When I was 16, it was still 1999, lol. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/16/2009 11:52:52 PM | this was one great read................people need to take more time out if only for a small moment to enjoy all of what is life. and interacting with a stranger is a perfect example.
nice read thank you | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 12:04:12 AM | | A short time ago I took a trip to Arizona. I was in a Wilson's leather store, when this older woman came up to me and started chatting. We made simple little chat, she told me about her moving out there from Illinois. Im from Illinois aswell and asked her where she had lived in Illinois. She said East St Louis although it had been nearly 50 years that she had been there. I told her that my grandmother was from East St Louis. She asked her name and I told her. Come to find out they were friends in the early 50's and lived right down the street from each other. I was blown away, small world huh? So I called my grandma and let the two of them talk with one another. Thank god for AT&T mobile to mobile cause the two of them talked for 2 1/2 hours. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 3:12:02 AM |
BTW...how are you today? :)
Feeling pretty good. It's been a long (but productive) week and I'm looking forward to the weekend... so close now! How about you?
Shane, that's a great story. Yeah, I've bumped into strangers who after talking to for a while about some common point, we realize we both knew somebody... it's truly those moments that makes you feel like you said -- "small world!" | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 4:46:28 AM | I often find myself in social situations where idle 'chatting' is not only appropriate, it's expected... so I'm able to pass time with a variety of people in light banter or discussion. I enjoy it enough during the conversation, but I don't deliberately place myself in situations where this is going to happen for that specific purpose...
I much prefer speaking with someone that I've developed a more comfortable relationship with on a friendly level... | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 4:53:11 AM | i am dreadfully afraid of flying and back when i still had money to travel to visit my friends in the US, i took the bus everywhere. like Toronto to Houston, Ottawa to Huntsville...
and i talked to people alllll the time...
when i went to New York City for my only visit there 9 years ago, i talked to all kinds of people, even though everyone warned me against talking to strangers there.
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 6:07:40 AM |
Made me feel kinda old, being 9 years her senior and all! When I was 16, it was still 1999, lol.
Wow, that makes me feel ancient, it was 1986 when I was 16...
I used to have quite a few random stranger conversations going to video stores and comic shops, for the video store it always seemed to happen in the Horror Section, one guy I talked to for about 20 minutes- talking about all kinds of different movies. Of course this doesn't happen anymore since I now use Netflix(there aren't any conveniently located video stores to where I live).
Small World Story: When I was in my early 20's I was in a video game store at the mall looking for a new game for my PC, I was looking at 'X-Com UFO Defense', and this guy started telling me about how good the game was, so we talked about games for awhile. A few months later when I went to a new job, I was sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch and from behind me I hear "So, how did you like X-Com?", at first I was wondering how he knew I played it, then I recognized him, and we became friends from there(and are still friends to this day). | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 6:42:34 AM | Yes I do, I talk to everyone. Especially love chatting with clerks at the local store, college aged ones... I like to encourage them and perhaps make their day a bit brighter.
Most of the folks I chat with are my own kids' ages and I guess I am used to dealing with this age group. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 7:17:11 AM | I am another one--- I chat with everyone.
I really notice when a stranger smiles at me and strikes up a little bit of small talk--- it really can make someone's day!
I run a family night at a local community center, and have discovered that it is also a skill. I am often chatting with families, and sort of steering them towards other families that I think they might enjoy chatting with.
I have to say- it drives my son nuts-- he thinks that I talk too much! | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 7:30:40 AM | | Me too. I love talking to strangers, you never know who you are going to meet & what story they are going to tell. My sons are the same way. One of my sons approached a man standing next to a Massaratti-oh yeah! he was all excited & wanted to thoroughly check out this guys car. Well come to find out the guy had run out of gas, left his phone at home & was figuring out what to do. My son helped him out, the guy gave him a ride in his car. The thrill of a life time for a 16 year old boy. The man is a dentist, so my son got work done for free for years after that. The best part, this man stopped by my sons school one day & gave him & his friends a ride in that kick butt Massaratti! Then he let my son drive it! Wow, talk about kewl! | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 1:45:31 PM | I can't walk past someone or stand near someone without smiling and saying "hello"... it just feels so unnatural to me to pretend they're not there when I'm literally standing two feet away from another human being.
I feel good about myself and the world every time I make a connection with another person.
I always wonder about the people who don't converse with those they deal with on a daily basis... the people who ignore cashiers, servers, gas station attendants and so on. It just seems so rude and dehumanizing to treat them like they don't exist or have no importance. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 4:28:31 PM | If the stranger is nice, then sure, why not? Occasionally I help out fellow patrons at department stores too, mostly the elderly ladies, who can't reach something and a sales assisstant isn't nearby. The elderly ladies are more often than not, such lovely people! :)
Considering my past experiences with strangers though, occasionally I'd still be surprised if someone suddenly started chatting to me while waiting in a line or browsing in a store. See, being an Asian in a Caucasian-dominant country, I've been subjected to discrimination and racism in the past, but thats a whole 'nother story. So you can probably see why I'd be surprised lol.
But yeah, I sometimes learn some interesting things from chatting to strangers. Sometimes I might even have small conversations with customers at work. Its really nice. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 4:56:29 PM | OP I am reminded of the old saying " A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet."
I have no problem talking to most anyone wherever I may be. My kids would often notice this and ask me "Who was that?" I would just shrug my shoulders and say I dont know but I know we shared a moment in life and it was good.
I can still hear my mom telling me as a youngster "Don't talk to strangers" and when I was younger I heeded that advice. But now being big enough that no one will cart me off ( although I wish a few of the ladies I know would give it a good try..I would even protest a bit so it would look convincing ) I find myself chatting with whomever about whatever. I think its a sign of confidence to alot of folks that we are comfortable enough to not have a fear of all those strangers around us.
After all " A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet." | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 5:31:40 PM | I talk to everyone, everywhere I go. Standing in line, sitting near someone in a bookstore or food place, in stores. I usually try to make a little joke or comment to make them smile or give them a laugh.
I also have other people strike up conversations with me. Usually about what I'm reading at that moment. I usually have a book with me when I go out to eat alone. I tend to project a nice, calm energy and so people feel comfortable with me. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 5:52:08 PM | I am not so rude as to ignore someone when they speak to me. But I will never initiate "chit chat" I am a very solitary person, and don't intersct well with strangers
 ...JMO | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/17/2009 8:37:52 PM |
Me too. I love talking to strangers, you never know who you are going to meet & what story they are going to tell. My sons are the same way. One of my sons approached a man standing next to a Massaratti-oh yeah! he was all excited & wanted to thoroughly check out this guys car. Well come to find out the guy had run out of gas, left his phone at home & was figuring out what to do. My son helped him out, the guy gave him a ride in his car. The thrill of a life time for a 16 year old boy. The man is a dentist, so my son got work done for free for years after that. The best part, this man stopped by my sons school one day & gave him & his friends a ride in that kick butt Massaratti! Then he let my son drive it! Wow, talk about kewl!
I thoroughly enjoy talking to strangers.
I cannot stand talking to strangers!
Hmmm, I seem to run hot and cold on this one. Which, actually, is the truth. It's almost like being bi-polar. There are times I am absolutely drawn to interacting with the complete unknown. Can't shut me up (well, you can, I do take to hints or something stronger). But then, there are other times I just want to be in my own space. My mind may be solving weighty problems like world peace or more mundane problems like design aesthetics. You can talk to me but I'm just not there.
Being a Chatty Chester got me in trouble a few times with MOMS (mother of my son) when the stranger was another lady. Oh well, had to talk to someone!
TK | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/18/2009 1:07:54 AM | | The other night in Walmart a man started asking me questions about what did I think was the biggest change in the world (electronics) and what did I think of kids today (not enough parenting/discipline/nobody is ever home....anyway, we yakked away all though Walmart while he waited for his family to finish shopping. I have no idea why he zeroed in on me or why he would leave for a couple of mins and then come back, but I guess we talked at least an hour. It was a little annoying as I wanted to get home but he seemed like a nice young man, totally respectful and nothing flirty or weird, just really friendly. I did ask him if he was writing a book but he said no, just curious. I often get into conversations with strangers but this was a little more unusual than most. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 4/20/2009 6:57:22 PM | I do it all the time!! Even the nutters! They are people too and just because they didnt take their medications. Just proceed with caution.
I live in the city and take public transportation to and from work.... good timez good timez. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 7/14/2009 11:22:06 AM | | Yes, strangers are always good to dump all your problems on some your sure you'll never see again..Some passing victim on a train or a bus to tell your life story too tell them everrything especally the bad things and when they are not looking slip a therapists card into their personal belongings..You can make a deal with the therapist you know 10 or 15 percent fpr everyone you send to them...Make some $$$$$$$$$. | |
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| Do you enjoy chatting with strangers in real life?
Posted: 7/14/2009 11:26:39 AM | I love talking to strangers. My best friend gave me grief about it "I leave you alone for 5 bloody mins and you're yakkin it up with someone". hah.
My favorite is talking to seniors at the mall though, because they don't look at you like you're weird beccause they do it too.
(vancouver is becoming not exactly the friendliest city) | |
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