Missed opportunities at a library. Wed, Nov 8, 2006.

11/08/2006. Missed opportunities. After leaving the buffet described in the previous post, I stopped at a library on my way home to check email. This was more for exploring possibilities of encounters than it was to actually check email. I checked email, then I browsed the foreign film DVD section, and even checked one out. There were two opportunities of speaking with foreign language-speaking patrons at the DVD shelves, but I blew my chances while struggling to figure out what to say.

Afterwards, as I was walking back towards my car in the parking lot two African women and a small child were heading towards the entrance, speaking French.

In the past, I've had a couple of embarrassing moments encountering people whom I've met before, and started talking to them as if it were the first encounter. So I hesitated a little trying to figure out if I had met them before, and what conversation starter to use if I had. But I delayed too much. As I passed them, the small child waved at me and said something, as if to give me a second chance at starting a conversation, but I blew it.

I need to work on more conversation starters that are comfortable whether it's our first or second meeting.