Category: Conversations with Strangers
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Conversation with a Stranger: Abortion After Rape?
I like to converse with strangers, though I’m out of practice after this long pandemic. The other day I discussed abortion after rape with a stranger. I put this account on Facebook and it got a lot of response, so I’ll capture it here as well. On the airplane yesterday, my seat mate was a…
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Targeted at Target: Wearing a Cross
I couldn’t think why she approached me. Then my hand went to my neck, to the small Jerusalem cross I wear on a chain. I don’t think that wearing a cross ever cost me anything before. What would you have done?
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A Conversation with Strangers at the Hair Salon
“We fed her well right up to the end,” one said. The other nodded with satisfaction. “And we surrounded her with love.”
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Identifiers
One of our recent Air Bnb guests, a physical trainer, went for a run wearing his CrossFit T-shirt. He met one of my neighbors, who happens to be a celebrity in CrossFit Games. Telling me about this encounter, our guest couldn’t stop grinning. He had found his people. I have lived in this neighborhood for…
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Hold Up. Really.
Here’s another reason to do all your banking online. Just now I went to the bank to deposit a few checks — at the PNC on Hwy 7 in Sterling — and came home with the chore undone. As I approached the bank I glimpsed some flashing blue lights in the front, so I took…
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Evolution and a Box of Rocks
“I’ll give it to you for $2,” the mom said. “I am not carrying that home.” My husband was holding a box of rocks. We were in the parking lot of our local high school, at a Yard Sale to benefit Project Graduation. “But did you see this?” he said, holding up a hunk of…
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Is Shopping on Black Friday a Terrible Thing to Do?
On “Black Friday” I saw many families shopping together, circulars in hand, looking for particular deals.
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Being Happy for a Stranger
The grocery clerk was swiping my last few items. A man dressed in a beautiful French blue shirt with white collar and cuffs, probably in his late forties, arrived behind me, rather breathless, and plopped a package of pork chops on the conveyor belt. “Hello!” he said, as if he knew me. “I just worked…
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Overheard at Chick-Fil-A: Yes, a Tale of Homophobia
This morning I took myself out to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast, clutching my coupon for a free breakfast entree. Yes, I’m like that. The coffee was delicious. The Chicken Minis were much too mini. The counter guy was an extremely happy human being. The place was immaculate. The piped-in music was classical. For those of you…
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Body Combat-ive, a gym encounter
I did a Body Combat class last night, which is a mix of martial arts moves orchestrated to music, lots of kicks and punches. It’s a great aerobic workout, but I usually avoid it because the classes are so full. Yesterday I had an opening in my evening and the gym didn’t offer my usual…
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In the Produce Dept with Dad: Conversations with Strangers
I went to the Customer Service desk at Meijers (a Michigan superstore) to return some bad lettuce for my mother. You know how sometimes it’s the idea more than the money? I went along with my dad so he wouldn’t have to walk so far, he’s 86 and has some arthritis. The Customer Service clerk…
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A Conversation at the Checkout Counter
“And my sister will call, don’t you know, wanting to come over, and I’ll say, You can’t come over, you had Mom last night.” She laughs as she swipes my coupons. “But of course I won’t say that, I’ll say, come on over. There will be enough.”