“Simple conversation 
turns strangers into 
acquaintances.”
Jim Manney

I can be a bit of an extrovert, though not in every situation. There are times when I prefer to stand back and observe what’s happening around me without being the center of attention. Generally speaking, however, my natural tendency is to engage in conversation with just about anyone I encounter throughout my day.

As author Jim Manney stated, “Simple conversation turns strangers into acquaintances.” Simple conversation opens the door to the possibility of getting to know someone I might otherwise not have had the opportunity to know. I have found it to be a valuable social skill.

Living in Silicon Valley, I encounter many people who are not from here. They might be high tech workers from the East Coast, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, or one of the southern states. They might also be from Mexico, Iran, the Ukraine, the Philippines, Ireland, Columbia, India, Japan, El Salvador, China, Spain, Vietnam, or any number of other countries. I’ve been told by many people I’ve met that it’s unusual for them to meet someone who is “from here,” meaning the greater San Francisco Bay Area. When we engage in conversation, there is so much for me to learn from them about their culture, their families, their careers, and their lived experience. 

Being a native San Franciscan, it is a common occurrence for me to meet people I don’t know who were born and raised in The City and with whom I have mutual friends or experiences. The predictable first question of a conversation between two native San Franciscans is “So where’d you go to school?” Both know that the question is asking which high school in The City they attended. More often than not, this opens the door to lively conversations about shared experiences, mutual acquaintances, and cherished memories.  

It has been said about me that I could “carry on a conversation with a fire hydrant.” (Now who would have said that???) The funny thing is, I can’t disagree. Yes, engaging in conversation with just about anyone is something with which I am incredibly comfortable. I’ve always been this way, which is why, in the 1960s, one of my elderly neighbors on 38th Avenue in The City bestowed upon me the unofficial title of The Ambassador of 38th Avenue. I went out of my way, even as a young boy, to interact with my neighbors.

Perhaps not all would agree, but I consider this ability to be a God-given gift. I am energized by meeting new people. Conversations with neighbors and friends, for the most part, are enjoyable and life-giving. Those simple, initial opportunities to chit-chat with people upon first meeting them open the door to the possibility of deeper, more meaningful conversations in the future. For this, I am grateful.