Meaningless Conversations Throw Me, Stymie Me

 I just had another one of those casual conversations with a complete stranger because we were both in the same time and place and watching the same thing. 

He starts talking to me. We engage in conversation back and forth for about an hour. We share phone pics and innocuous personal information careful to never say our names or give away too much personal information.

This has happened before recently. I was at a public park taking pictures and someone else was doing the same. He started talking. I verbally engaged. It went on like that for 20-30 minutes.

All the while, I'm trying to figure out what his objective is or what mine is. Is he trying to be friends? Or something more? How much should I be sharing of myself to this potential stalker?

To what end?

Then, this guy at the park, Leaves. No goodbye. No thanks for the chat. Nothing. Cold. Done. Put it in the fridge and shut the door. My feelings were hurt. I thought this was inappropriate etiquette. Do you not say goodbye when you have met and engaged in a 20 minute chat? 

And what was the purpose of me saying anything at all? The exchange of superficial information. I think it was the abrupt end without any warning that threw me.

Tonight, as the guy and I chatted. I was too bust watching the sights to wonder too much about his intentions. Well, and he did say that he was heading home and he had a nice chat. Okay, that was different and made me feel better. He stipulated that the conversation was done. And I understood. He was polite.

It is so weird though, these small chats with strangers, people that you will likely never, ever see again. Small talk is like giving away little parts of yourself, your story, history and privacy, to someone you do not know. The conversation is short, dry and ultimately dead. There goes an hour of me sharing and to what end?

It was a social nicety that I decided was okay to partake in. 

It still feels a little like, hanging out the clothes to dry and forgetting they are there. The clothes will stay on that line forever.

I don't know if I enjoyed the nature experience more or less having shared part of it with a stranger. I don't know. I kindof liked the sharing verbal stuff and the science info we did share. It was like having a tertiary friend for an extremely short period of time. Like making a snowball and throwing it at a wall. Did I benefit in some way by the talk? Well, it did not harm nor stress me, so that I recognize. The first meaningless, park conversation was much more unsettling and abrupt and rude and left me in more of a quandary.

Maybe the first park conversation helped me better understand the second, tonight one. And the guy tonight had a friendlier, more open disposition, less potential stalker.

I'm learning.

People routinely engage in small, meaningless conversations with complete strangers they will never ever see again. I think this is weird.