Having conversations- a hobby in life!

“Hey!” she said. A young girl , maybe early 20s with an oval face , beautiful features and a friendly smile. “Are you going to New York City?” she asked me. I was on the train and she was sitting across me. “No, I am going to get off at the airport. Flying to the west coast for the long weekend.” I replied. “Oh wow! That must be exciting. I am going to the city” Over the next few minutes I knew that she was graduating and was starting a job at Wall Street and before that she has a one way ticket to London and all she knew was she is going on a world trip with no agenda for a month. AND that she was on her way to get her lip pierced in NYC.  I instantly felt good to have had the conversation with her. Young, ambitious and yet genuinely charming. These people add a dash of spice in my train rides.

I started thinking about when I started talking to strangers on a train or anywhere. It started back in India where long train journeys are a norm and usually you befriend the people beside you. The conversations revolve around the journey, food, family etc. In fact, my uncle actually visited a person in Europe whom he had befriended on a train ride in India. SO you never know where these conversations lead to. There is always the fear of befriending wrong people or having someone chew your head by talking. But c’mon its all in the game!                                                                                                                     

As I went to the airport and got on plane I was thinking who was going to be sitting next to me. I  met a couple who were from the same city as I and who had infact bought idlis with podi ( Steamed rice cakes with chilly powder) and curd rice for dinner, making me feel nostalgic. That was a standard train food during journeys in India. They spoke to me about the place I grew up and classical Indian music and many other things I related to. It reduced the brutality of the six-hour flight. And on my return flight the guy next to me started discussing with me about the book I was reading. We had different takes on it and it was indeed an interesting conversation.

My love for conversation has never ceased, even if the conversation is just analyzing modern art (about which I have absolutely no idea about), football (oh! I am a very good listerner on that!)  or just gossip with my bffs. I feel talking is a therapy (for me!), makes me get my thoughts out and helps churn more. I search for people to have good conversations. Those who can think, those who can interpret the world in their own way and those who have passion to interact with people. Even if they have different opinions, I always appreciate a good discussion. It makes you feel good and you end up learning new things. You are lucky when you have a conversation with a good listener a.k.a one who doesn’t go on and on only about his or her passion and cares to listen to you as well.

A downside of it being when you start having good conversations you tend to move away from mundane ones. I feel like my tolerance for useless (gossips don’t count!), non-intellectual ones tiring.  And I have heard this from my co-conversationalists as well. There is only so much small-talk you can have especially when you are craving for more. And such people develop an inability to read in between lines or understand sarcasm/indirect talk etc when you lose touch . Oh well! Again, its all in the game.

My person:  And I should mention here my close friend and roommate whom I miss (well..she got married and moved. I don’t like you M! :-/) One of the best conversationalists. She can talk about art, philosophy, psychology, movies, series and even gossip(!) passionately. I heart you D 🙂

So what is your take on conversations and who is a conversationalist you miss?