You Talkin to Me?

One of the nice things i'm enjoying about San Franciso is the number of people NOT from America who are living here. It's really a strange and relieving feeling to hear foreign languages being spoken and reminds me a bit of where i just came from. But the huge difference is how many people just randomly talk to you in this city. And I don't mean the loons that are shouting obscenities at you. No, normal everyday people - in stores, on the bus, walking down the street -they just decide "I think I'll take part in her day and comment on [fill in the blank here]. It's happened to me repeatedly since I got here and I just simply forgot about this part of American culture. It's very friendly...and also a little freaky. At first I was "Why are you all up in my business!?" Then I realized when they were just telling me they liked my shoes which...ok, i DO have great shoes and all should admire them. Or I cannot tell you the number of people that comment on my groceries! Which makes me act like they're trying to cheat off my math paper and get randomly defensive about my brand of toothpaste. Don't comment on my Colgate buddy what do you want!?!?! But it's a general openess to strike up a conversation at any given turn. A refreshing thing I'm learning to meet with an open smile and coversation back rather than sprinting the rest of the way to my house until I get inside, a la "there's a murderer following me!"

So now in my neighborhood I actually see a few people regularly walking their dog, catching the bus, and while it is nice to meet new people this pleasantry does bring with it the feeling of "Jesus, what the hell lame story am I going to have to hear from Grizelda today and what other facial expression can I plaster on to make like i'm listening?" But all in all the phenomenon is a good one and I'm learning to come up with some good return conversation responses. Now that I've curtailed the "fleeing the scene" reaction I'm working on:

Stranger: "Wow, that looks like a lovely wine is it good?"
Kate: "BACK OFF YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!"
Stranger: "I just wanted your phone number, crazy."