Do You Feel awkward making small talk with a stranger?

This thread started in 2015 and then 8 years of nothing and it starts up again. Conversation never grows old. I am pretty quiet but I will talk to strangers , their conversation does not exhaust me as much and I know that I will not see them again.
 

I have no problem making small talk or any talk with people. They opened a new store in town last week and I thought I'd check it out. After riding around I finally found a parking space. The store was so crowded, you'd think they were giving stuff away. I was looking for a couple of tops and maybe a pair of pants but had no luck. I did find a couple of other things and headed for check out.

The line was very long even though there were eight registers open. I got in line and there was a woman about forty years old behind me. After standing there for a few minutes, I turned around and said to her, "I'm trying to decide if I want this stuff enough to stand in this line for the next twenty minutes." That was all it took. She said she though the same thing but had found some cute outfits, then proceed to show me what she'd put in her cart. We chatted straight away until I got to a register. The same thing happens at the grocery store or at the garden center. Most times it's easy to strike up a conversation.
 
Old Salt said:
I am so grateful for the Internet! I would rather die than strike up a conversation with a stranger! I am not nervous around them, just don't know what to say! My wife was very good at that! She saved me many a time at social functions! :) I am a good listener, though!
Click to expand...
awww...well we were all strangers to you once Oldsalt.. but we're friends now...:love:
 

RobinWren said:
This thread started in 2015 and then 8 years of nothing and it starts up again. Conversation never grows old. I am pretty quiet but I will talk to strangers , their conversation does not exhaust me as much and I know that I will not see them again.
Click to expand...
I know.. I couldn't believe it when I realised I started this 8 years ago...wow, time has flown..., and sadly some of the posters on this thread are no longer here..
 
Pepper said:
I love talking to strangers, always have because they are not strangers, they are my fellow humans. Blanche Dubois always depended on the kindness of strangers
Click to expand...
I'm the same, I'll talk to anyone...the only problem is, is that there's quite a difference between the north of the uk and the south. In the north people will talk to any strangers.. and that's how I grew up.. in the south where I live now, mostly they look at you as if you've escaped from an asylum if you start up a conversation. They are really buttoned up the back for the most part. I've never got used to that, and I still start a convo.. and then I see the look of ''arrrhhh escaped lunatic on the loose'' in their eyes, as they awkwardly reply and start slowing backing up.. and I stop talking..
 
This thread was started back in 2015, but it’s a good question for a forum such as this one. I was nearing the end of my military career in 2015. I have always been a talker and meeting strangers has never stopped me from speaking to them. I have always found people to be interesting. No mater how old or young, no matter how big or small, no matter the color, everyone has something interesting to say.
 
hollydolly said:
I'm the same, I'll talk to anyone...the only problem is, is that there's quite a difference between the north of the uk and the south. In the north people will talk to any strangers.. and that's how I grew up.. in the south where I live now, mostly they look at you as if you've escaped from an asylum if you start up a conversation. They are really buttoned up the back for the most part. I've never got used to that, and I still start a convo.. and then I see the look of ''arrrhhh escaped lunatic on the loose'' in their eyes, as they awkwardly reply and start slowing backing up.. and I stop talking..
Click to expand...
I found the same living in England---the norther you go the friendlier they are!

eta
Altho---------I remember thinking people in Leeds were over shy or unfriendly
 
I'm happy to chat to strangers and I've met some very interesting people. My daughter says that I can convey the impression that I know something about whatever the other person does (whether I do or not).

I was caught one time when an elderly gent (he said he was 86) asked me to look after his dog while he went into a shop. He came out and asked me if I knew about the history of the town. I said only a little, and he proceeded to give a lecture on the town and it's famous inhabitants. Eventually, he admitted that his wife had dementia and he was glad to get out and have a blether. His knowledge of the town was pretty accurate. A nice chap, and a nice wee dog.
 
Pepper said:
I found the same living in England---the norther you go the friendlier they are!

eta
Altho---------I remember thinking people in Leeds were over shy or unfriendly
Click to expand...
hmmm...Leeds has probably changed a lot since you were there last.... shall we say not as many speak English..
 
Pepper said:
I found the same living in England---the norther you go the friendlier they are!

eta
Altho---------I remember thinking people in Leeds were over shy or unfriendly
Click to expand...
funnily enough still on the subject of Leeds.. it still remains the most unfriendly place I've ever visited despite it being in the North...

I've got a whole long story to go with this but I'll save you it.. and just direct you to the scene in American Werewolf in London.. when the 2 guys walk into the pub in Yorkshire, and the whole crowded pub goes silent... ..that's exactly what happened to us.. and everything we asked the barman for... was met with a No..don't have it...:oops::eek:
 
hollydolly said:
funnily enough still on the subject of Leeds.. it still remains the most unfriendly place I've ever visited despite it being in the North...

I've got a whole long story to go with this but I'll save you it.. and just direct you to the scene in American Werewolf in London.. when the 2 guys walk into the pub in Yorkshire, and the whole crowded pub goes silent... ..that's exactly what happened to us.. and everything we asked the barman for... was met with a No..don't have it...:oops::eek:
Click to expand...
Thanks to our uniforms we always got a friendly reception in England, no matter where we went. I fondly remember how all the girls loved to touch the uniform for good luck! There was only one tooth-grinder when one young pup asked us: How are things in the Colonies? Aargh! :LOL:
 
Last edited:
Kadee said:
I talk to people when shopping in the country area where we live, and I volunteer at a rather large museum and enjoy talking to people who visit from all over the world. I have mentioned before many travel to this area to check out or update their Cornish heritage at the the museum which has a lists of names, photographs of many families dating back from the 1800's This area is known as Australia's Little Cornwall
Click to expand...
Hello? Where is this Little Cornwall, and why wasn't I told about it?
I'm guessing South Australia because so many Cornish miners emigrated there as free settlers?

My one regret about our visit to the UK is that we didn't make it to Cornwall.
 
Fyrefox said:
I won’t initiate conversations with strangers, but will respond to others should they do so, at least up until a point. If I perceive that they’re trying to latch onto me, I want them to seek entertainment elsewhere.

My most common stranger-initiated convo comes from short-statured ladies asking me to fetch objects from high store shelves…
Click to expand...
That would be me, but if you were to be accompanied by your wife, I would seek her permission to borrow you for a couple of minutes.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top