It was the
fourth time that evening I had checked the time, it read 7:57 PM. I had planned
to leave office a little early that day but alas I had failed yet again.
Finally I had managed to wrap the work, pack my bag and leave for the day.
After several months I was finally visiting my family, next three days I would
be happily away from the city and work.
After an hour
long journey I finally arrived at the bus stand. I walked into the restaurant
in the bus stand to grab a quick bite before I hunt for the bus. This time too
I had not booked the tickets in advance. I kind of like to have some surprise
element to my travel.
So there I
was with my plate of freshly reheated chapattis served at the restaurant in my
hands, hunting for a vacant table to park my bottom and relish my meal. After a
few minutes of 360 degree of gazing across the packed restaurant I decided to
share a table with a lonely stranger.
I was mid way
through my dinner, when the stranger got up and asked me if I could keep an eye
on his luggage while he buys something more eat. I merely nodded my head in
affirmation and smiled. He was back at the table and thanked me. I just smiled
and asked him where he was headed to? He said Mangalore and I told him about my
ancestral association with the city he was visiting. So we both now had
something in common to talk about.
A little
while later he told me that he happened to study in a college which happens to
be in the city I was visiting. The conversation then drifted to talks about our
work and we realised that our organizations had closely collaborated on one of
the projects which I was a part of. And then he said clichéd yet a fact of
life, “world is such a small place, a few minutes back we were total strangers
and now we realise we share so much in common.”
Our dinners
had ended but not our conversation. So we walked out of the restaurant and
continued our talks over a cup of coffee. We both seemed to enjoy the
conversation which drifted from talks of his 15 year old college memories to my
thoughts on how music shapes ones adulthood. We drifted from topic to topic and
seemed to have struck a chord. Although he was half a decade elder to me, we
both seemed to be having interesting conversation like two long lost friends.
And then we
parted ways and it was time for me to hunt a bus which could take me to my
destination. What I did harp on looking back at this conversation of mine with
a stranger was the fact that life could offer several such interesting
moments. But the question is, are you open for it? Strange
things happen on this planet called earth every day. These strange talks with
strangers are one such thing. Now for the ones who still believe in “Don’t talk
to strangers” maybe there is something you are missing. Maybe it’s a good
conversation. A conversation which can throw up a different perspective to life the way you
look at it.
That sounds like a lovely experience. The world really is a small one, right? :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see your comment, had been long time :)
DeleteYeah it was a fantastic experience. Cheers
Interesting. Yes journeys alone are such a fun specially when we meet interesting people.
ReplyDeleteYou bet... the journey becomes interesting with such interesting encounters... cheers
DeleteHello Vijay,
ReplyDeleteI am as friendly as they come and can talk to anyone I meet...it's just my nature. When we remove the outer layers, we realize we are all just the same. What separates us is our own foolish prejudices and assumptions. This sounds like a memorable and pleasurable experience. Thanks for sharing.
Melt Away My Pain
Hello Andy, thank you for the kind words. You are so right in saying we are all the same inside but people stay hidden behind a layer created by themselves. Cheers
DeleteVery cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks Raghav... cheers :)
DeleteNice write up.. Well I remember somehwer reading a line ... "If we hadn't talked to strangers we would never have FRIENDS"
ReplyDeleteSometimes some stranger gives a weak smile and u tend to return back the smile. Thus the friendship starts.
Good experience which u had!! Enjoy
Cheers :)
Hey Deepak true a simple smile is all that takes for a beautiful bond of friendship to begin... cheers
DeleteI think it's got something to do with vibes that a person emits. For example, sometimes just by looking at a person we decide not to talk to them, whilst otherwise there are some we warm up to (both cases being they are strangers).
ReplyDeleteHaving a convo with them has always fascinated me. And well this post was interesting in context that yo had a nice time and well you probably just made a new friend :)
Guess the vibes people emit has got to do with what you said... Cheers
DeleteWhen you talk to strangers and then u realize that you have so much in common its such a great feeling eh. Its okay to talk to strangers ONLY if one is mature and prudent enough to distinguish well behaved folks from those with a harmful intent.In fact when I started reading I thought it would lead to some drama like something sinister being in the bag etc :)
ReplyDeleteNo surprises here just few good memories... Cheers
DeleteSometimes it is easier to talk to a stranger than the person you know...cos' they do not judge you.
ReplyDeleteNice post.
What you said is quiet true... Thanks
Delete...must have been a great feeling! Cheers Vijay:)
ReplyDeleteIt was a fantastic feeling... Cheers AmitJi
DeleteSuch little things add spice to life.
ReplyDelete-Portia
True Portia... such things are the spice in life
DeleteI always stood against these, "Don't talk to strangers" rules, but it has seldom happened when I came in direct conversation with total strangers. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I never traveled alone, but whatever. I liked what I read. Makes me want to go get my shoes and march on to an unknown journey. What fun that would be!
ReplyDeleteAnd now you've got me lost in the adventurous dreams, Vijay. Thanks for that! :D
Its about time you get that shoes lying the corner and set out on the journey :) cheers and thanks :)
Deleteawesome experience shared - its actually sometimes strangers can even teach us wonderful lessons of life and can even sometimes give us life long memories to cherish - loved your post
ReplyDeleteThanks and Cheers... appreciate your kind words
DeleteTalking to strangers is one of the primary reasons why I love to travel. The more you talk to unknown people the more you realise how similar we all essentially are and if not that it teaches you how to appreciate the differences! Keep travelling and keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteUndoubtedly its fantastic to get to to know the unknown... Thanks and Cheers!
DeleteMust have been a great experience. Such things totally make our day. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIndeed it was a fantastic experience... Rightly said such things totally make our day :)
DeleteI guess it does not hurt to try. Speaking with a stranger, taking a different route, travelling alone, doing something new ... all these provide us opportunities and perspectives.
ReplyDeleteIt could also turn out to be dangerous if one isn't cautious - so the suggestion should be offered with provisos.
A girl or child travelling alone must avoid such adventures if the situation is not a safe one. You can speak with a stranger you meet at a party, but probably not one you see on the road.
We live in not so nice times and it is best to be safe; but having said that I still agree with you that such chance meeting can throw open so many windows and provide interesting experiences.
Valid Points... Having said that sometimes its worth the risk.. Cheers!
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