That random guy at the bus stop in Austin changed how I think about small talk

I was waiting for the 803 at that stop near Riverside and this older guy just starts chatting me up about the weather. I usually put headphones in but my phone was dead. He ends up telling me about how he moved here from Ohio 20 years ago with nothing. We talked for like 15 minutes. Now I actually try to talk to strangers more. Has anyone else had a random conversation that stuck with you way longer than it should have?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamie7701mo ago

Man that's a great story. My own version of this is way less inspiring - I once got stuck talking to a guy at a laundromat about the best way to fold fitted sheets. He had this whole system involving a cardboard box. I tried it when I got home and ended up with a crumpled mess that looked like a sad burrito. Now every time I fight with a fitted sheet I think of him and laugh. It's funny how the smallest random moments stick with you, right?

the_xena1mo ago

Ha, @jamie770, fold it like a burrito and commit, that's what I do and it works.

the_aaron1mo ago

Fist bump right back at you, this whole thread is gold. I had almost the exact same thing happen at a bus stop in Denver, this older lady started telling me about her cat that learned how to open the fridge. She went on for a solid 10 minutes about how the cat would just help itself to leftover pizza, and I was late for work but I couldn't stop listening. Now every time I see a random person at a bus stop I try to say at least one thing, just to see if they got a story that wild too. It's wild how the smallest, dumbest conversations end up being the ones I remember for years.