Talk to a stranger thread

[Shy_pretty_Angela]

Have you ever done this before? My mum is so chatty with people I wish I could be more like her and am trying to be.
Its great to smile at a stranger and strike up conversation.
You never know where it may lead!!
Ps. Its going to rain tonight so I hope you are all staying home round the stove!!

[Azalea]

I sometimes find it easier to talk to strangers than people I know.

[biscuits]

At least once a week, a stranger will start chatting to me. I'm not going to say I enjoy it because I don't but I'll join in with them. This week it was in the nurse's waiting room and now I've been invited to audition to be in a choir.

A few times it's lead to invitations (once to a party, once to see the flowers in their garden, once they invited themself to my house) but I just think I'm going to end up as a true crime documentary on Netflix.

There are so many friendly people out and about all the time. It's lovely really but also challenging!

[anxiouslondoner]

I can't do smalltalk, it just seems so inane to me, and there's no good way to keep it going.
It'd be better if you could just express your most random, pressing thoughts to a stranger knowing you'll probably never see them again.
Like why not just go up to someone and say "does it bother you that you almost never remember falling asleep, but it happens every night?" and then run away while they think about what you just said.

[Chess&Junkfood]

I think it depends on the situation. A bus stop chat for example is usually fine. Where I have a standard script for such interactions:

It's a bit cold/hot today isn't it?

That's it! Not a comprehensive bus stop chat script of course, but it's done me proud for years!

I'm also reminded of the time when an old lady asked me for the time. Where I then told her the time, and as I walked away, I could hear her asking someone else for the time. It's always stayed with me. Whether she was lonely or maybe forgetful. Either that or her hearing aid was on the blink that day.

[anxiouslondoner]

^ she should just write it down on a piece of paper, so she doesn't have to keep querying randoms for the same thing.
Of course you ask three different people and they'll all give you a different answer. I don't think you can trust any of them.

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by Chess&Junkfood

I'm also reminded of the time when an old lady asked me for the time. Where I then told her the time, and as I walked away, I could hear her asking someone else for the time. It's always stayed with me. Whether she was lonely or maybe forgetful. Either that or her hearing aid was on the blink that day.

You have to ask at least three wrist watched people to get an average time.

My mum asks people, "What is the right time?"

Thousands of women have been caught out by someone telling them the wrong time.

[Chess&Junkfood]

^
It never occurred to me that this old lady was conducting a survey on time itself. Sort of like a Family Fortunes Les Dennis and a Tom Baker Doctor Who combined!

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this one myself, Biscuit.

And I would imagine the real reason for wanting such time accuracy is down to one thing and one thing only:



Then again



So I think the real reason why that old lady must have wanted to know the exact time must be.....

Hold on, Biscuit!

Is that Jam behind you?

[Shy_pretty_Angela]

I understand the small talk aversion and I have always struggled with that. But I think the interaction is good.
I am also thinking about paying people more direct compliments . There is someone I have in mind that I want to compliment but Ive held back so that may be a challenge!

[Hopeforme]

hahaha chessand junkfood

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by Chess&Junkfood

^
It never occurred to me that this old lady was conducting a survey on time itself. Sort of like a Family Fortunes Les Dennis and a Tom Baker Doctor Who combined!

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this one myself, Biscuit.

And I would imagine the real reason for wanting such time accuracy is down to one thing and one thing only:



Then again



So I think the real reason why that old lady must have wanted to know the exact time must be.....

Hold on, Biscuit!

Is that Jam behind you?

Haha

I used to have a friend who couldn't tell the time using the 24hr clock. She just couldn't understand it.

[biscuits]

I was on the tube (a supposed safe space from stranger chit chat). I was deep in conversation (planning a soup and cheese night). Whilst I was in the middle of talking, the man sitting opposite leant over and waved his hand in my face.



Clearly he had reached the point where he was thinking, "is she ever going to shut up?"

He wanted me to tilt my foot so he could see the brand of my shoes. I obliged and was chatting to him about them. Then he took a note on his phone. "Perhaps I'll find some in a charity shop," he said.

I never got to finish planning soup and cheese night because then it was time to get off and go about the day.

[Chess&Junkfood]

Originally Posted by biscuits

Haha

I used to have a friend who couldn't tell the time using the 24hr clock. She just couldn't understand it.

It's nice that you still made time for your friend, Biscuit.