Conversation

Why do some people come, all excited and worked up, bursting at the seams to share some issue or concern or problem, then pause for a reaction, and then continue on their merry rant without even the least lip service to whatever may have been said from the audience? Why not talk to a tape recorder if all they want is to hear themselves talk? Even adding "yes, that happened to me with them, too" doesn't get a nod from this genre. I remember joking with my mother when she would clearly not be listening to what one of us was saying, and I would say "hmm, did someone say something? wait! I heard something...." and then she'd chuckle (or not) and pay more attention. Conversation is meant to be two-way, I thought. Sometimes more one person or the other but both people usually expect to speak, yes?

On the other hand, I have had some unexpected and energetic conversations recently, too, in unexpected places and with people who turned out to be very interesting. You just never know, I guess.