Chance Conversations Make A Fine Treat.

The unexpected makes for interesting insights.

Maybe it is because we are Zu'greiste ( not born and bred locally ) that I make an effort to actually hold little conversations when I meet locals. I don't know about you, but I love to find out about people... what they like, where they went to school, where they've lived and basically, how they are.

How else can one find out who people really are? Clothes don't maketh the man, for me at least. Everyone looks good when made up and styled but that is just fancy wrapping paper for inner values. Good, bad or really ugly!

Bob's patience is often tried when I ask him the same stuff again and again due to forgetfulness or not having listened yet, when it comes to snippets of conversations, my mind becomes a computer. Everything neatly stored away.

Yesterday afternoon I took the time to visit someone at a care center, where she will be for a few more weeks. We spent a long time chatting and I asked her a whole slew of questions as she is a local through and through. Usually when I ask about school days and the good old days, people start to sparkle and shine as they relive those happy times of yore. Most say that life was nicer way back then despite it also having been harder.

At one point I mentioned what a great sense of humour a lady ( who possibly went to school with her just after the war and has lived down the road her whole life ) has. At first she wasn't sure who I meant but then said with an air of surprise:

" What? Really? I've never noticed. "

which can mean only two things. Either she doesn't understand her brand of humour or, and that saddens me, she's never really taken the time to find out...

Biggi