I don't remember ever having a problem in striking up a conversation with anyone up until lately. I was beginning to wonder whether I had lost that ability and why. Some times age can be an impairment, as my wife says, "You have a few more valleys on that face and if you're not smiling you look angry". Testing that theory, I did get some better response but also notes of suspicion that maybe I was a little "off kilter" and they were humoring me until hopefully I would die in the next couple of minutes. There was a demographic consideration also. I almost always got a response from older adults and very seldom from the young. Yesterday, as I was standing under a tree avoiding the rain while waiting for a bus a young man asked to share the space. I took the opportunity to experiment. "Looks like older isn't wiser, I left my umbrella at home" a great ice breaker I thought, no response. "Are you done with classes today?" another salvo fired, no response. "That bus ought to be coming soon" last try. He smiled then reached up and pulled out the wireless ear plugs I hadn't seen and said "I'm sorry were you talking to me?" "no" I lied, "I saw you were listening to something." Then got on the bus for experiment 2, will any one actually give up the seats reserved for Seniors, NO! one of the few times we're looked at as equals....Smile old man, you look angry.
Thursday morning I'll be broadcasting from Mary Kay's Flowers in Somerset for "Good Neighbor Day" We'll be giving away 6 carnations to anyone who stops by beginning at 7:30 am for as long as they last. You keep one then give the other 5 to strangers in being a good neighbor.