Question about the guy who asked to borrow my charger at The Daily Grind in Seattle

Honestly, I let him use it for 20 minutes and we ended up talking about his startup, which made me rethink my whole 'headphones in, no eye contact' coffee shop rule. Has anyone else made a real connection after breaking their own 'don't talk to strangers' policy?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max2mo ago

Remember how @alexk60 got stuck with that sales pitch. I guess my worry is that saying yes to one person means you have to say yes to everyone, or you feel like a jerk for picking and choosing. It's easier to just keep the rule so you don't have to make that call every single time.

harperg762mo ago

45 minutes? That's insane, no wonder you have a rule now lol

alexk602mo ago

My rule is headphones on for a reason. Last year at a library, a guy struck up a conversation and it turned into a 45 minute sales pitch for his multi-level marketing scheme. That one experience cost me my whole afternoon and a lot of awkwardness. For every nice chat, there are several that just waste your time or make you feel stuck. I keep my policy because it protects my peace and my schedule.