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Encounters with strangers

January 31st, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

I have one of those faces. One of those faces that makes people want to talk. It’s happened more in recent years. I think the knitting facilitates it. It’s an icebreaker, something they can talk about, and often it’s an emotional trigger.

There’s the lady who sits next to me in a bookstore and tells me how frightened she was the previous night when her young daughter’s temperature shot up to 104. That conversation started with her asking what I was making.

There’s the recovering drug addict who shares his family history, which includes high-ranking players in the South Carolina government. He started out talking about his grandmother, who used to crochet baby blankets.

There’s the older gentleman today who tells me about his wife, who passed on a while back. She had diabetes and didn’t control it well, mainly by eating salty junk food and drinking alcohol while her friends were over for cards. That started out with him sharing what a good seamstress his wife was.

These people really open up. The bookstore woman talked about her husband and how he just didn’t get it sometimes. The recovering addict talked a lot about his grown son and the worries he had, and all the regrets for bad choices in his life. The older gentleman says with good spirits that “It’s just me and the Lord now.” He keeps busy going to church, and also shooting pool and playing spades.

Fortunately, I like listening to these people. One of our knitters brought her father along to knit night and went to do a little grocery shopping. Many other folks in the group continued their conversations, but I got to hear this guy’s story. He was part of the crew for the Tuskeegee Airmen, so it was quite a treat.

Some folks say that they meet the most interesting people knitting, but I think they usually mean that they meet other knitters. I often feel like I’m part of the exposition of a detective story. Luckily, it’s a story with a really compelling plot.

Do strangers talk to you? Share, won’t you?

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  1. February 1st, 2009 at 00:35 | #1

    I have a very strong if sometimes unintentional go away signal.

    Seems you regular folk are a little wary of giant scruffy pissed off looking men.

  2. February 1st, 2009 at 00:35 | #2

    I have a very strong if sometimes unintentional go away signal.

    Seems you regular folk are a little wary of giant scruffy pissed off looking men.

  3. February 1st, 2009 at 01:39 | #3

    Oh my word, yes. I talk to strangers all the time. Or rather .. they talk to me. And I don’t even have knitting needles as a good excuse for an ice breaker. I think it is my tendency to actually look people in the eye and smile. My bus trips are often mini-adventures because of it.

  4. February 1st, 2009 at 01:39 | #4

    Oh my word, yes. I talk to strangers all the time. Or rather .. they talk to me. And I don’t even have knitting needles as a good excuse for an ice breaker. I think it is my tendency to actually look people in the eye and smile. My bus trips are often mini-adventures because of it.

  5. February 1st, 2009 at 09:09 | #5

    People usually want to talk to me, especially when I’m knitting on the bus. Unfortunately I’m very much not a people person, at least face to face, and the commute is podcast time.

  6. February 1st, 2009 at 09:09 | #6

    People usually want to talk to me, especially when I’m knitting on the bus. Unfortunately I’m very much not a people person, at least face to face, and the commute is podcast time.

  7. Anonymous
    February 2nd, 2009 at 23:01 | #7

    People Talk to me, too!

    Hiya Heather!

    It’s me, Wendy in Alaska! People seem to be able to talk to me, too. And I’m not carrying any knitting, so why do they gravitate towards me? But, I admit, I enjoy talking to people. Especially in elevators. I purposely start talking in them things…lol. WHY are people so uncomfortable with talking to strangers in elevators?

    By the way, I am looking forward to getting my Jayne Cobb hat from you. It’s one of the Highlights of my life right now. It’s fun getting stuff in the mail that isn’t a bill!!!! LOL. I am getting my camera ready for the day I get the hat so I can take pics of me looking so cunning and send them to you.

    Love to you and all the browncoats out there! And to those busy hands out in the verse, may your needles never break and the yarn never ends!

  8. Anonymous
    February 2nd, 2009 at 23:01 | #8

    People Talk to me, too!

    Hiya Heather!

    It’s me, Wendy in Alaska! People seem to be able to talk to me, too. And I’m not carrying any knitting, so why do they gravitate towards me? But, I admit, I enjoy talking to people. Especially in elevators. I purposely start talking in them things…lol. WHY are people so uncomfortable with talking to strangers in elevators?

    By the way, I am looking forward to getting my Jayne Cobb hat from you. It’s one of the Highlights of my life right now. It’s fun getting stuff in the mail that isn’t a bill!!!! LOL. I am getting my camera ready for the day I get the hat so I can take pics of me looking so cunning and send them to you.

    Love to you and all the browncoats out there! And to those busy hands out in the verse, may your needles never break and the yarn never ends!

  9. February 3rd, 2009 at 00:10 | #9

    Re: People Talk to me, too!

    Wendy, I am totally unsurprised to hear that people talk to you! I can tell just from your e-mails that you’re a bright and outgoing person. Also, from what my dad tells me (he was stationed there in the Air Force), Alaskans are just naturally friendly!

  10. February 3rd, 2009 at 00:10 | #10

    Re: People Talk to me, too!

    Wendy, I am totally unsurprised to hear that people talk to you! I can tell just from your e-mails that you’re a bright and outgoing person. Also, from what my dad tells me (he was stationed there in the Air Force), Alaskans are just naturally friendly!

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