I remember when I was living in England, a friend told me that English people are generally terrified talking strangers. There's more defined parameters for social interaction and random talking is not acceptable. While most of the time it turned out to be the case, I did find exceptions when two dog walkers met. I love how the curiosity and excitement of dogs sometimes force people to face each other and step out of their “shells”, creating a brief moment of connection, even if it’s just to talk about their dogs.
There are other moments like this that bring people into a brief conversation. I remember when I was little, every time my mom and I were waiting at a bus stop or in a line, there would be other people talk to us. It’s nothing deep or private, and sometimes we simply complained together about the wait, but that shared space and empathy makes the wait seem a little more bearable. Nowadays I stop seeing people chatting in lines or at bus stops, since most of them would look at their phones instead. (Including myself)
