Small Talk

I'm no good at small talk.

You know those people who always have stories about these random strangers they struck up conversations with and learned fascinating, humourous things? These are the same people who travel to some foreign country and end up hearing some Average Joe's not-so average life story, where he survives a war and his sweetheart marries while he's overseas but then her spouse dies and they end up together years later. Crazy cool stories that touch your heart and are wonderful to retell in social settings.

I'm not one of those people. I'm the type that buries my nose in a book as soon as I get on a plane or bus or any other social setting where I may need to pretend my life is super exciting when really it's just average. I linger on the edge of a crowd of people I don't know until I find someone I know to talk to, and then latch on to them as long as they'll let me.

It's not that I can't talk to people. I just don't find myself particularly interesting.

Then there's my job. Meeting suppliers, hashing out and refining project details. Going. For. Lunch. Oh, I dread it. I know people consider it a perk and it is, but oy... Usually lunch is after all the business has been discussed. It usually means I need to be able to manage conversation for at least an hour, possibly much longer with one particular supplier who really enjoys eating. And I mean really.

Today I had a supplier meeting. He's new and he's looking at a pretty big account with us. I like him... he's older and polished and he doesn't treat me like the rookie I am. He offered lunch and I didn't refuse.

And surprisingly, the hour flew by. I peppered him with questions he was more than willing to answer, and shared a story or two of my own. Our conversations ranged from business to the housing market; from the labour situation in China to quality concerns in India. We talked tobacco and ginseng farming and pondered gang violence in the Lower Mainland. For once I was actually talking around my bites of food rather than just eating quickly to move the lunch along.

So maybe I'm getting better at this... maybe I'm learning to ask the right questions? Or maybe I'm just learning to diversify my conversation a little bit. Or maybe... just maybe... I'm starting to feel a bit more comfortable in my own skin?

Sure does make me feel all growed up though.
And that's pretty cool.