Small Talk With Random Folks?

[cherrytwist]

I can relate to the OP.

I don't shop for fun. 99% of the time, I'm on a mission.

I am usually in a rush (aren't most of us?) and I don't want to chit chat with total strangers at the grocery store.

I am the approachable type, and people tend to confide (often more than I want to know)in me in almost every scenario.

The instant I feel the surge of word vomit about to emit from their noisehole, I smile and nod and get the hell out of wherever it is I happen to be.

 

[Mo0o]

Not often but if they chat me up I'll hold up my end of the conversation

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: Lola

Originally posted by: Platypus
this happens to me all the time; I try to accommodate them.

Have you ever been in a situation when you have been talking for a few minutes and they want to keep chatting? The converstaion then goes on for another 20 minutes?

This happened at Home Depot last fall. This women was looking at the flooring in the same aisle as us and she must have talked for a good 20 or 30 minutes. I am not the kind of person to just walk away, so there we stood. I know she was just trying to be nice, and she seemed lonely so we let her talk.

I typically find a reason not to let something carry on that long in the very few instances where this has happened to me. I feel bad for the other party in that situation because they obviously really just want to talk to someone but there's a certain point where I just need to get back to what I was doing.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
You are a blond with boobs, get used to it.

Yep. I'm an unattractive guy, and this rarely happens to me.

Then again i usually pull my hat down and ignore everyone because i don't like "chit chat" or small talk. If i'm in a store, i'm there to get something specific and leave. i hate shopping.

 

[sierrita]

Originally posted by: Jeff7


Cashier: That looks good.
Me: It sucks.
Cashier: Haven't tried that before.
Me: You shouldn't. It's really horrible.
Cashier: Why are you buying it?
Me: Because life is suffering and I am a sado-masochist. Want to come over to my place tonight?
Cashier: Wow, you are the first truly honest being I've encountered all day, and that is so refreshing, I'd go anywhere with you; unfortunately the last person through the line was so fukking perky and chatty that I've already slit my wrists, so I can't come over to your house tonight."

/fixed for alternate ending #2

 

[PepePeru]

i chatted w/ a cashier lady @ the dollar store yesterday.

she really liked talking about state capitols and flags of the world.

I think she wasn't quite "all there", but i was down wit it.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Kalvin00
I am a guy, so no, people don't do that to me

But no, not really.

Same here.

I don't ever feel that need to fill in a silence for the sole sake of ending it. I wouldn't mind riding an elevator 100 floors with someone and not speaking a word. I really don't need to hear or deliver an update on the weather, or make some trivial observation about someone's shoes. Yeah well. To each his own.

Originally posted by: mb
The only kind of small talk I dislike is when the cashier and/or bagger comments on or asks questions about my purchase.
Cashier: that looks good.
Me: It is.
Cashier: Haven't tried that before.
Me: It's new.
Bagger: That's a lot of <insert random item I'm out of>
Me: Yup.

Cashier: That looks good.
Me: It sucks.
Cashier: Haven't tried that before.
Me: You shouldn't. It's really horrible.
Cashier: Why are you buying it?
Me: Because life is suffering and I am a sado-masochist. Want to come over to my place tonight?
Cashier: *not there anymore, has gone to summon security to have you removed*

/boggle

theres nothing wrong with asking that, and even less reason to run for security.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: sierrita

Originally posted by: Jeff7


Cashier: That looks good.
Me: It sucks.
Cashier: Haven't tried that before.
Me: You shouldn't. It's really horrible.
Cashier: Why are you buying it?
Me: Because life is suffering and I am a sado-masochist. Want to come over to my place tonight?
Cashier: Wow, you are the first truly honest being I've encountered all day, and that is so refreshing, I'd go anywhere with you; unfortunately the last person through the line was so fukking perky and chatty that I've already slit my wrists, so I can't come over to your house tonight."

/fixed for alternate ending #2

:heart:

Of course, being a sado-masochist....
"Mmmm, yeah baby, slit those wrists. Damn that's hot. We can use the blood as lube. BTW, I have a friend who's a necrophiliac, so um, the fun won't stop after you've expired. Hope that's ok with you."


You know, I think that might be a bit awkward - you're just small-talking with someone, and the person, while nodding occasionally, casually reaches into his pocket, pulls out a knife, and begins slicing away at his wrists.

'Oh yes, I did *slice* see the sunrise this morning. Veeerrrry *slice* fascinating, like the billions of sunrises before it."



And that made me think of the other great lines. Come in all soaking wet.
"Raining outside, huh?"

No, the Incredible Hulk hocked a massive loogie on me, what the hell do you THINK happened?

 

[Baked]

Yes and No only.

 

[bignateyk]

I am usually only receptive to small talk while I am at airport/hotel bars while on travel for work.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: mb
The only kind of small talk I dislike is when the cashier and/or bagger comments on or asks questions about my purchase.

Cashier: that looks good.
Me: It is.

Cashier: Haven't tried that before.
Me: It's new.

Bagger: That's a lot of <insert random item I'm out of>
Me: Yup.

I have a strange tendency to be very passionate about the products I buy... seriously. The food I buy is stuff that I know from experience is incredible. I also have a tendency to buy one thing and eat it several nights a week. I throw away less food that way. So I get a lot of comments about buying a lot of a product, and I love to recommend good products to people.

In particular, I like to talk about spicy snack foods. There is a particular brand of spicy cheetos-like snacks that I can only get at a local Walgreens, and I usually buy 5+ single-serve bags at a time since it's out of my way. Several times a cashier there has commented on my food, and not only did I rave about this snack food but I also recommended a hot sauce store that sells all sorts of premium hot sauces and spicy snack foods.

I'm what you'd call a product evangelist. When I find a product I like, I tell all of my friends about it.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Amused
Happens quite a bit with me, too. Sometimes I'm in the mood and chat back, other times I'm not and just give short answers.

 

[antyler]

I shy away from it. I always find it weird when people are nice and start making small talk.

its always so random.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: mugs
I talk to them, but don't do anything to extend the conversation.

im usually the same if i dont know the person. i try to be friendly, mostly because i have a bad habit of completely avoiding people...because theyre obnoxious. but i try to at least be friendly or polite.

 

[freakyj92]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
I'm usually the guy starting the conversation.

"Damn, it's like a sauna in here."
"Damn, that TV looks fucking awesome."

Sometimes, I even roll down windows/pull up my visor and talk to other motorists while stuck in traffic, "What the fuck? Did a cow die in the middle of the road or what?"

You guys would probably think I was some weirdo.

LOL,,,, im not the type to steal funny shit from others,,, but I am gonna have to use that cow one!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Nope, small talk doesn't bother me at all. Sometimes I'll initiate it, sometimes someone else will.

 

[alkemyst]

I don't get when people above say 'I am a guy so ...', guys get talked to also by chicks...if you are king emo in black the don't expect anyone to talk to you.