Strangers

A couple of years ago I read something along the lines of 'talk to strangers' in a self help book and that's exactly what I did; being the chatty person that I am and a nagging curiosity to find out what's in it for me, I set out on my little Tom Thumb adventure. I was 16 to be precise when I started having deep conversations with strangers without revealing anything personal or too much about me and since I traveled a lot by public transport back then it made things fairly easy. 

I will keep this piece at a reasonable length and share three of my favorite strangers, the first one being this American man whom I met in the KTM while traveling to my aunt's place. He asked me for directions and we ended up having a very inspiring conversation about life itself. He shared about his kids and the American culture of kids moving out when they turn eighteen and I told him that Asians prefer to live under the umbrella of our family, slowly it progressed to people in different countries and he told me something like "if you think your countrymen are rude then you'll think any other countrymen are rude because it is a matter of perspective, there's rude people everywhere but there's also nice people everywhere. It depends on you what you look for", and that made so much sense. He also told me that if you want to achieve something in life, find people who have been there, who have already done it, ask them to mentor you or read an autobiography, find out how they made it, learn from their mistakes, you make new ones, if they can do it, you can too because the wheel is already invented, don't waste your time re-inventing it for nothing. 

Next will be this couple from Mauritius whom I met on a bus while going back home from school (I used to go back by time bus) who were actually lost and fortunately they had to board the same bus that I was boarding. This couple didn't say anything inspiring like the American man but they were kind and nice, shared a lot about their country and shed a whole new light on a foreign country to where I have never been but in case I get a chance to, they will be the first thing on my mind. 

Last but not the least is this one bad ass Indian girl (Malaysian Indian) who I met when I was lost during a political gathering at a Kelana Jaya stadium (I was 17). I went with my sisters and was separated from them because it was way too crowded and all three of us went our separate ways. We parked the car quite some distance from the stadium and none of our phones had credit and I only knew half of the way to the car plus I was totally unfamiliar with the place. I asked this bad ass girl to borrow her phone to call my sisters but none of them picked up so she walked with me because she was worried of my safety but not in a nice way though, she was going on and on about how she had an appointment with her friends and I was ruining it, how she had no patience to deal with this kind of idiocy, kids irritated her and mean stuff like that. I even told her she can go but she refused to leave until my second sister finally called me and told me to return to the stadium. I told the bad ass girl I knew the way and she doesn't have to come with me anymore and she reluctantly left. I am amused when I look back at it now but she became my favorite because she had the guts to speak to a stranger so rudely which I can never do in a million years plus she also taught me of who I do not want to become because if I am helping someone out I might as well do it genuinely or not do anything at all. 

I still talk to strangers every once in a while and never once has it disappointed me, I always get new perspectives, metaphors, meanings, and even stories sometimes if I get lucky. It has also shown me some dark side of people to which I just smile and walk away, you know its like your very own episode of Humans of New York and it is nothing but interesting. It has added some colours and spices to my life and I would recommend this hobby to just about anyone but let me warn you that it is not for the faint hearted who cares about what everyone thinks of him or her. If you are anything like me, put on your snapback and set out on the little journey of yours. 

P/s: (it is not as scary as it seems, in fact it could be one of the best things to ever happen to you!)