Tag: boston

convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #20

abby mumford

i’m talking to strangers…

it was the best type of sunday in that i had nothing on the agenda but relaxation. i had started a really good book (THE LOCK ARTIST by steve hamilton) and so i read and snacked and read and read and read.

deciding around 4pm that i needed some fresh air, i headed out to the grocery store. i had brought my cloth grocery bags, so the guy bagging my groceries turned to me when he reached an impasse: ground beef.

guy: you want the meat wrapped in plastic?

me: *giggles to self* please.

due to the aforementioned day of relaxation, i realized this was the first time i’d spoken all day. (it was sort of fitting considering the book i’d just finished contained a main character who doesn’t speak. he can, he just chooses not to.) i can, obviously, but that day, i chose not to. i was happy to know, though, that despite the lack of voice, i hadn’t lost my sense of humor.

guy: *hands me receipt* have a nice day.

me: you too.

and with that, i went back to my scheduled silence.

 

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convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #19

abby mumford

i am still talking to strangers.

i was sitting at the bar with two fellows who are kind of coworkers, but kind of not. the details of that don’t matter here. the point is, we were having a meeting to discuss an upcoming event which we are planning. because we were at the bar and because it was a thursday night, we got off topic.

coworker 1: i used to have season tickets to the patriots. *proceeds to talk about the glory days, which were full of as much glory and gore as you’d expect of 25 guys with football tickets.*

me: i’ve only been to one game, but it was an awesome one. actually, it was [another “coworker”] who invited me. i was probably the eighth person he asked, but that means seven people before me said no and i got the green light. [two other coworkers] went with me. so fun!

bartender: now there’s a positive attitude.

me: well, it’s true. i’m just happy i got to go. it’s the only football game i’ve been to and it was a complete blast.

coworker 2: with the motley crew you went with, i’m sure it was nothing but trouble.

me: you have a point there, sir.

the meeting eventually got back on track after further discussions of the other boston area sports teams, but what struck me was the bartender’s interjection. it was a quiet night at the bar and the three of us were a very random and lively crew, but it never occurred to me that he was listening in and that he might be the one to initiate a conversation or that i might be the one labeled as the stranger.

 

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convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #16

abby mumford

i talked to a stranger?!?!

adriana had momentarily stepped away leaving me manning the beers at the bar. when things like this happen, i’ve been doing my best not to pull out the phone, but to be present in the moment, look around the bar/restaurant, and be okay with sitting there alone.

(it’s beside the point that with my scarf and gloves stuffed into my purse, it took me 15 minutes to zip it up. i was NOT about to open my bag to get out my phone only to have to put it away upon adriana’s return.)

as it turned out, this was the perfect opportunity to ask the bartender about the DELICIOUS beer i was drinking. it was called otter creek black alpine IPA.

me: *points to the tap* where’s this beer from?

girl bartender: oh, umm, *pauses* i know this, but now that you’ve asked, i’m drawing a blank.

me: no worries. i was just curious because this beer is so good. i’ve never heard of it before.

girl bartender turns to boy bartender: do you know where this is from?

boy bartender: *opens menu* vermont.

me: thanks.

adriana returned and i reported my findings. we delighted in the fact that with the beer made in new england, it meant there’s a higher likelihood of me being able to find it again.

convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #15

abby mumford

strangers? talking to them? yes, sir.

i placed my to go order and headed over to the four available chairs to wait. there was a girl in one of the chairs, so i sat at the other end. this, however, placed me about 12 inches away from a couple eating their appetizers.

as easy as it would have been to join their conversation, that’s particularly rude and i don’t count that among my personality traits. i opened my magazine and commenced waiting.

*time passed*

girl employee to other girl employee: “is there an abby here?”

other girl employee to girl employee: “yes.”

i perked up and started to gather my things as they called out my name.

they handed me my dinner and there was a flurry of action behind the counter, but the girl made no move to ask me for money. before she questioned why i was lingering, i offered up my reason for doing so: “i never paid for this.”

girl: “oh wow, thanks for being so honest. most people would have just walked out without paying.”

me: “seriously?” i forked over my cash. “that’s insane.”

girl: “yeah, well. they would. they do. anyways, enjoy your food.”

me: “thanks. have a good night.”

i left pondering the possibility the girl had proposed. would most people really have left without paying? it never even occurred to me to do so, and in fact, i felt embarrassed the girl had to thank me for doing the right thing.

just then the steam from my meal rose up around me and my stomach growled. i stopped thinking and started walking faster because on a chilly winter night, a hot meal sure is better than a cold one.

convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #14

abby mumford

talk to strangers? yes, indeed.

i was checking my mailbox when a neighbor walked into the apartment lobby. (this is a rare occasion because even though i have a very normal working schedule, it appears none of my neighbors do. i’ve probably run into two people the entire six months i’ve been here.) my initial reaction was to keep to myself and not bug her with any questions, but then my blog popped into my mind. i’ve been conversing with strangers (okay, fine, so what if they’re usually service people and they have to talk to me) for months now, this is it! time to take the training wheels off!

me: hi, have you lived here long? (*thinks to self* “hmm, slightly creepy opening. remedy it quick.”)

me again: i’m abby. i’ve been here since may.

her: *smiles* i’m [name redacted to protect the innocent]. i moved here in september.

me: i’m apartment [redacted].

her: i’m number [redacted].

me: oh, we must share a wall or something.

her: i bet we do. you’re very quiet. i never hear anything.

me: let me know if you do!

her: likewise.

the rest of the conversation revolved around our landlord, his response time when dealing with issues, and the things we did/didn’t like about our new places. i highly doubt my landlord or neighbor would ever read this, but just in case, it’s probably in my best interest to keep things vague.

and the real point here is that i did it!!! i initiated a conversation with a true stranger and the world didn’t end. nothing bad happened. in fact, good things came out of it. i met my neighbor. she was very nice.

and now the apartment building feels a teensy tiny wee bit more like home.