At some point you have to grow out of the notion of not talking to strangers.  It serves its purposes when you are young and strolling along by yourself dangerously … but as a grown up at a bar … for breakfast … at the airport … at 6:20am, the threat is pretty minimal.  I say throw caution to the wind.  Talk it up with someone next to you.

This is especially true when a young couple comes in and orders a local IPA on tap, and a vodka “white”.  Like the bartender, I’m no foreigner to vodka drinks and I thought he meant a White Russian perhaps … and chose to shorten it (those millennials …). “Do you mean a White Russian?” Asked the bartender … which is what I would have said.  Secretly, I have always thought it would be fun to own a bar and bar tend on occasion to hear the stories … anyhow, when the guy said … “no … maybe you call it a ‘vodka clear’ … or what do you call a vodka mixed with 7-up or Sprite or Ginger-ail … something like that?”  The bartender chuckled a little and said … “well, a vodka … followed by one of those words … like … Sprite.”  Did I mention that it’s 6:20 in the morning when I am overhearing this conversation …

Strangers or not … I am now eves dropping, feeling guilty about that, so I wait for them to finish their short discussion ordering two drinks before I interrupt.  I had to know where they call it a ‘vodka white … or clear’.  “I haven’t heard it called a ‘vodka white’.  Is that specific to some place?” I interrupt them.

Well … these two were chatty Henry’s now.   Turns out, and the short version of this is, that these two are traveling from airport to airport and going to have a vodka drink and a local beer each place they land for the next week.  It’s a little adventure they are on, and they decided this in the bar last night in Florida which is where they call vodka drinks mixed with Sprite a ‘vodka white’ … not sure if he made up that ‘vodka clear’ thing on the spot thinking it might be a logical alternative.  Anyhow, one of them just turned 21 the day before, so they are celebrating.  The long version of that story includes details around how they can afford to fly around (for free), plans for where to stay at night and various people they are trying to get in touch with  by surprise when they land someplace.  Really, they believe this to be an epic adventure themed around vodka and local beer and surprising friends along the way. Not too shabby I guess.  Minneapolis was their first stop on their journey and the reason for that never really was too clear … I really didn’t ask any questions other than the first one that got them going in the first place.

So NOT talking to strangers keeps you from getting abducted or talked into breaking into places through small openings for bad guys when you are little.  TALKING to strangers when you are older expands your views of the world, can amuse you, will make you think about things differently and may just help you make new friends.

Huge side note here … I have always been a hat wearer, but that has always been restricted to baseball caps and winter beanies.  Recently I’ve switched things up a bit.  I’ve introduced dew rags when out hiking or in the elements wearing shorts.  And fedoras when wearing nice pants and shirts with collars.  It dresses things up a bit and keeps my head warm.  One of these guys was wearing a narrow brim fedora and looked decent in it.  Somewhere in the middle of his chattiness, he commented that my wider brim fedora was something he couldn’t pull off, but complimented that I could.  The other guy had perfect hair and simply offered that he can’t wear hats. No other comments on the topic … so I am hoping he doesn’t think us hat guys were flirting or something.

The fact is that fedoras are not super popular, so those of us in the club need to stick together.  Now … mine was on top of my bag, not on my head, since I was in a bar eating.  I think he realized he should not have his on either and took it off during the chatting.

Which brings us to another major point.  If you talk to strangers, you might just find that most folks have things in common with you … and worth talking about, sharing things to smile about and learning from or about them.  Those are the things that make life really something special … and it is within the grasp of every single one of us.  I am an advocate for more of it.  Hope you are too.  Like I said … chat it up!  It’s worth the time.

My best to you … Dom

Disclosures:

… my portfolio includes coca cola … maker of Sprite mentioned in this article.

… I was on a business trip and this was breakfast for me.  I had a delicious bacon frittata, potatoes, fruit and coffee.  No vodka.  No IPA. No pictures of the food, that would have been weird … but here’s the hat (mine).