"Crap, I can't believe the flight is delayed."
"Man, the luggage takes forever to come out."
"Man, the luggage takes forever to come out."
I am allergic to small talk. I'm not particularly good at it, maybe I'm a little bit sociopath (not psychopath, of course. I've never killed someone. Over small talk.) I'd prefer a dirty joke from a stranger to talking about the weather. I travel a lot; travel seems to demand small talk. There's something particularly irritating to me when people must state the obvious, even if I agree with them. I think it's because I'm barely holding on to my sanity thanks to the stress of traveling - how can I help this joker? If he makes the mistake of saying it to the back of my head while we are standing in line, I ignore him. Flat out. How would I know he were talking to me? I can assume he was talking to someone they know. Someone who gives a shit.
And I guess, perhaps unfairly, I include anything that is too personal as small talk. I don't want to hear about your bunions. . . and I don't want to tell you, stranger sitting uncomfortably close to me on the plane, anything personal about myself. Please don't ask me where I'm going. Didn't they just say the plane is going to Denver? Don't ask me what I'm reading. I'm reading "So I Don't Have to Talk to Strangers."
The most egregious small talkers seem to be shuttle drivers. Most recent example (6 am Thursday morning, Enterprise Rentacar shuttle, Denver airport):
Customer - "good morning, how are you?"
Driver - "well, I'm still sore. blah blah blah surgery. . . blah blah blah doctor says I shouldn't be working. . . blah blah blah lost 42 pounds in two months...wouldn't mind if I didn't have to sit all day blah blah blah...."
This exchange wasn't even with me but I was completely stressed out - I mean, this guy has our lives in his hands - and he, by his own admission, didn't seem healthy enough to be driving an oversized bus, especially with frequent turning back to look at said customer. I mean, who's the real danger to society here? I've learned to sit in the back of the shuttle bus for this very reason. It's easier to pretend like the guy isn't talking to you...but still embarrassing when you are the only one on the bus. I actually have a rule that I will tip the guy who gets me there quietly. Chatty? No cash for you.
And I guess, perhaps unfairly, I include anything that is too personal as small talk. I don't want to hear about your bunions. . . and I don't want to tell you, stranger sitting uncomfortably close to me on the plane, anything personal about myself. Please don't ask me where I'm going. Didn't they just say the plane is going to Denver? Don't ask me what I'm reading. I'm reading "So I Don't Have to Talk to Strangers."
The most egregious small talkers seem to be shuttle drivers. Most recent example (6 am Thursday morning, Enterprise Rentacar shuttle, Denver airport):
Customer - "good morning, how are you?"
Driver - "well, I'm still sore. blah blah blah surgery. . . blah blah blah doctor says I shouldn't be working. . . blah blah blah lost 42 pounds in two months...wouldn't mind if I didn't have to sit all day blah blah blah...."
This exchange wasn't even with me but I was completely stressed out - I mean, this guy has our lives in his hands - and he, by his own admission, didn't seem healthy enough to be driving an oversized bus, especially with frequent turning back to look at said customer. I mean, who's the real danger to society here? I've learned to sit in the back of the shuttle bus for this very reason. It's easier to pretend like the guy isn't talking to you...but still embarrassing when you are the only one on the bus. I actually have a rule that I will tip the guy who gets me there quietly. Chatty? No cash for you.
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