Talking to strangers

It's a joke in our house how much I enjoy talking to strangers. It is honestly one of my all-time favorite things. People are like living books to me, always a good story hiding in there. Sometimes it's a story you never expected.

I am on a solo trip to California, a place I've never been, and this trip is not disappointing me with its share of talkative strangers. Fitz dropped me off at Logan early this morning, and there was already a line out the door of the United terminal. But lines are the best places to talk to people. The woman in front of me gave me an immediate, friendly hello and asked where I was going. It turned out she was a special needs adult who had been visiting family in Boston, and heading back to her group home in Michigan. I learned that she is very involved in Special Olympics and participated in the World Special Olympics for snowshoeing. She was very excited to get back to see her boyfriend in the group home to celebrate his 50th birthday. I told her I was turning 50 too, and she immediately asked if she could give me a birthday hug. Made my day and it was only 7am!

After arriving at LAX, I needed to figure out how to get to Marina Del Rey. Seeing as how LAX is bigger than Maynard, I was pretty lost at the start. But this was just another excuse to talk to strangers. I was amazed at how friendly and helpful most people were. With a bit of help, I finally found the right bus to get on, but then couldn't figure out how to pay. I had a 1 and a 5, but I needed exact change for the $1.25 fare. The bus driver was so nice and was just going to take my 1, but an older man stepped up and handed me a quarter. He was so nice and I sat next to him and thanked him. I found out he had come from Mexico 30 years ago and works construction in the area.

I finally arrived in Marina Del Rey, and I was starving. I walked for a ways until I found a cafe right on the marina, and stopped for some lunch. After I was finished, I realized I had about an hour before I could check in to my AirBnB. I sat out on a bench outside the restaurant and was just people watching everyone coming in and out. After a while, an older man approached me and said, "I know you don't know me, but I just had an emotional experience and wanted to share it." It turns out he was 86 years old, and just met with old school friends he hadn't seen in almost 70 years. We had an amazing talk about getting older, and the relationships that come and go over the years.

It's only day one of this trip, and I'm so happy with the stories I've already been lucky enough to hear!