Do you talk to strangers?

mrstime said:
OMG I'd never get in one of those! With my fear of heights I'd prefer death.
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some more...


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now what would be worse for you?.... I took this photo while on the cable car... of the DLR train which has no driver...NO driver at all... lol....

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I don't know if I should have asked the elderly lady, (elderly to me BACK then ha) whom I saw outside a drugstore frustrated trying to get a good grip on her packages. I just walked up to her, said nothing, just helped her get a secure grip on her packages then turned to go on my way. As I did, she thanked me and said something about how there are few people who are helpful. Pretty sad.
 
I like to talk to anyone that talks to me. Just at the airport the other day my son was taking a photo of me sitting in a sleigh which said "Welcome to Melbourne". A lady came up and asked if she could take a photo of the two of us, we thanked her very much and said we could take her photo as well. She was so happy, and I asked her where she was coming from and she said "Barcelona", I asked if she was in those terrible floods that devastated Spain and she said, "Lucky her parents were on the high side and were safe".
 
Absolutely. It's a must in Texas. I'm in a suburb of Dallas. It is full of warm and charming characters.

I was in Walgreens the other day and a woman's blush dropped out of her purse while she was checking out. I asked if it was hers and she said to me and the cashier, "Oh yes. I would look dead without it! Not that I look that great anyway!"

There is a young self-checkout helper at my grocery store. Each time I buy wine she says "ID please" and laughs. We always exchange pleasantries.

I also know all the staff at my dry cleaners and even donated to the manager's GoFundMe page for medical care.

And the list goes on. It's one of the things I love about living here. People, especially in the more established areas, are generally warm and friendly.
 
Babs2u said:
When we first moved South I was in a grocery store and a clerk said "How are you doing this morning?" I looked behind me wondering who he was talking to. Now I am accustomed to it and join right in.
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I hear you. We moved to Dallas from South Florida and weren't used to having anyone acknowledge or speak to us. It took me time to get used to friendly people. I was always suspicious of them. I learned that even if I wanted to buy something I had to share my life story, but I embrace it now.
 
I think talking to strangers, which we all do all the time, is fine. It would be impossible not to. The lady in the elevator who asks which floor you want her to push the button for, the sales clerk or checkout person in the grocery store, the plumber or electrician who comes to your house because you called their company, etc. are ALL strangers. So are policemen, nurses in the ER, bus drivers, and anyone else you have never met before.

But that is a different question than "Do you allow pushy strangers to ask where you live, and invite themselves in for a social visit?" That is a very dangerous thing to say yes to.
 
All the time. Everywhere. The husband always said I had a vibe. I will be standing in line at the Piggly Wiggly and complete strangers will start telling me their life history. And no I dont ask. They just tell me.

I on the other hand am not a sharer. I will give you my first name and thats it. And I definitely not my address. If I happened to make a connection I might ask if you wanted to go get coffee. So far this has not happened.

Off topic. My Mom always complained that the neighbor ladies were always up in her bizness. Mom you know just because somebody asks you something doesnt mean you have to tell them.
 
I think people tend to be friendlier and less guarded in small towns. However I grew up in Pittsburgh, which is an extraordinarily friendly place for a big city. Everyone "hon's" everyone else (to the opposite sex:)). And plus being an only child I grew up pretty friendly.

However it definitely wasn't like that when I lived in NYC or even L.A. (except among the Hippies). People hardly even made eye contact.

So I was delighted when I moved to the Deep South in 2000. Everyone will talk-- sometimes like there's no tomorrow...😄, which I like. I can't recall anyone ever backing away when I've given them a friendly greeting, or starting a conversation. Southerners are generally self-effacing, and are not shy in sharing personal stories. Doesn't matter their race or ethnicity. After living here 25 years, I could never live anywhere else.
 
ChiroDoc said:
I think people tend to be friendlier and less guarded in small towns. However I grew up in Pittsburgh, which is an extraordinarily friendly place for a big city. Everyone "hon's" everyone else (to the opposite sex:)). And plus being an only child I grew up pretty friendly.

However it definitely wasn't like that when I lived in NYC or even L.A. (except among the Hippies). People hardly even made eye contact.

So I was delighted when I moved to the Deep South in 2000. Everyone will talk-- sometimes like there's no tomorrow...😄, which I like. I can't recall anyone ever backing away when I've given them a friendly greeting, or starting a conversation. Southerners are generally self-effacing, and are not shy in sharing personal stories. Doesn't matter their race or ethnicity. After living here 25 years, I could never live anywhere else.
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it's the exact opposite in the UK...the further North you are the friendlier it becomes.. the further down to the aflfluent south the more buttoned up...
 
Not nearly as much as I used to. Hardly ever anymore. I find it best to keep to myself in public. It's a shame but necessary, at least for me. I got broken from the habit because of persistent panhandlers, belligerent mentally ill people, needy seekers, scammers, hot merchandise sellers, etc., who are no longer immediately detectable. Most encounters are annoying, some of them frightening. The larger the city the worse it is.
 
DailyArtsyCrafter said:
Not nearly as much as I used to. Hardly ever anymore. I find it best to keep to myself in public. It's a shame but necessary, at least for me. I got broken from the habit because of persistent panhandlers, belligerent mentally ill people, needy seekers, scammers, hot merchandise sellers, etc., who are no longer immediately detectable. Most encounters are annoying, some of them frightening. The larger the city the worse it is.
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A lot of negative experiences forces us to pull our heads in, Becoming insular, purely for our own protection.
 

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