2026, animals, Automotive, Family, Mysteries, pets, Uncategorized

Random Chatting

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I’m pretty sure that if you asked YA if she would want anything about me changed, the top of the list would be “stop talking to strangers”.

I admit to this freely.  No big, long conversations; most of my talks to strangers are one-off comments, usually having to do with whatever situation I find myself in with strangers.  Lots of “beautiful dog” or “cute dog” or “does your dog like to say hi” or “does your dog like to be petted”.  YA was mortified about a month ago when I rolled down the car window to call out to someone that their Irish Setter was gorgeous.  I have a friend in Wisconsin who can start a friendship with anybody she meets; I’ve been with her when she got name/phone/address with a stranger we met at the zoo.  I’ve told YA she should be lucky she’s got me.  This has never mollified her.

Waiting on line for the State Fair Park `n Ride buses is the exception to my short yakking with strangers.  We’re all there for the same reason.  We all have stories to tell about various parking/bus situations.  It’s always interesting to find out where people are from (we met someone from San Diego this year) and there’s usually good information to be had about foods and entertainment.  YA has to admit that even she has taken part in these bus-line conversations.

So I felt completely exonerated yesterday morning while Freya and I were walking along in Tangletown.  I woman drove by, slowed down, rolled down her window and called out “beautiful dog” before driving away.  I felt like I had met one of my people!

Do you still say “rolled down the window” or “I typed my answer”?  Better yet, do you talk to strangers when you’re out and about?

32 thoughts on “Random Chatting”

  1. Something that I truly enjoy is friendly banter with people I’d otherwise never met and likely will never meet again. A couple weeks ago I saw some folks loading up a U Haul truck and asked how far they were taking stuff. I learned that they were only going 40 miles away. At that point, someone came around the corner and said that if they were headed for Montana, he’d like a ride. I retorted that, for me, it would be California. He came back with, “I guess there’s something wrong with all of us.”, to which I responded, “Yep, with me it’s California, and with you it’s Montana.” We both smiled, and I walked on.

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  2. I still roll down windows and type replies (although I use “text” more often).

    I walk in my neighborhood a lot (school starting means I’ll be getting back to the schedule that synchs with the school buses) and we are a dog walking neighborhood. I try to greet them if it seems like a good idea.

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  3. I am constantly greeting unknown people especially when picking up stuff at stores. I tend to avoid comments to children accompanied by adults and rarely address
    kids unaccompanied by adults.
    That’s just the way it is for us old fat guys. I assume that people wearing clothing with logos are advertising for brief conversations on their displays.
    I don’t avoid eye contact.

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  4. We live next door to a public boat ramp, where I walk my dogs every morning. I often wear a pistol, because you never know who or what you will encounter. This morning, I had a conversation with a scraggly gentleman foraging for driftwood to be made into walking sticks.
    He was a very nice fellow.

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    1. I don’t think I would be inclined to chat with someone packing heat but if I were addressed I would be as nice as I could be.

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  6. It depends. I’m not the most outgoing person. Most of the time I just want to get through the line, or finish the shopping, or whatever the situation is. I’m really uncomfortable in crowds of people, and I tend to close down in those places due to mild anxiety.

    There are times when I feel more comfortable though, like at Rock Bend or other music or art festivals. I can be almost outgoing at events like that! I think there’s a feeling of social safety that allows me to open up amongst others who I assume enjoy the same things I do.

    I’m not sure what all that means for an INFP.

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    1. Boy, Krista – you took the words right out of my mouth – In a comfortable, safe setting I can be quite chatty. Put me in a room full of people I don’t know and I sort of shut down. I am not a good conversationalist at all in that situation. But I think I would be OK in a room full of Baboons!

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  9. I have the same reaction. Sometimes I’ll talk, sometimes not.
    I’m pretty judgy…

    There have been conversations that I’ve gotten into that wished I hadn’t.

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  10. I still dial a phone and snap a picture as well.

    We are hosting my younger daughter’s family’s dog this week while they are on vacation and walking the dog twice a day. Ivy is a very vocal dog from a very vocal household and, while she’s not aggressive, she makes a lot of noise around some, but not all, other dogs and that causes us to avoid close contact with other dogs and their people.

    Ordinarily, when we walk sans dog we can stop and make admiring comments about other people’s dogs and that sometimes leads to more in depth conversation.

    I always try to chat at least briefly with check-out persons and service persons.

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  13. I suppose my mom was my role model for starting conversations. She could start a conversation with ANYone.

    We just stopped at our credit union, and I chatted up our teller about her coffee mug, which sported various varieties of chickens. (Ben, you would have had a field day!) She keeps several at their home out of town…

    An acquaintance in Mpls would make it a point to try and start conversations on elevators… : )

    And I absolutely still: roll down windows, type my answer, dial a phone, snap a picture – there must be others…

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  16. Hello Baboons from beautiful N. Ireland,

    I am here and through the jet lag now. That was rough. Today I go to visit the homestead where my Irish ancestors originated in Kilkeel, County Down, N. Ireland. A blog post will come later when I am home.

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  17. I found this post really interesting because it shows how our attitude toward strangers can change depending on the situation. While it’s important to be careful and respect personal boundaries, a simple conversation can sometimes introduce us to new ideas and perspectives. I enjoyed reading this perspective on everyday interactions.

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