When your thoughts come back to you...

So I was observing some people my age cavorting like they just graduated kindergarten and thinking inside:

"*sigh*, I SO can't relate to people my age-they're SO YOUNG (and such Teenyboppers)!!!" : (

Later, I went to pick up some CDs^^ from the postoffice...

While standing in the line an old man who could have been my grandpa started talking to me... after I transacted he came up and asked me if I would fancy to go for a coffee?!

WOW. Now that's a first LOL

The idea "dirty old man" didn't even cross my mind which is what would have crossed lots of my cynical friends minds.

In any case, as always when strangers randomly approach you on the spur of the moment it's always quite surprising and I'm never able to react so usually do a runner but with him cos obviously he was so much older than me I knew he wasn't just some sleazy pervert so I replied with what came naturally-honesty: "Sorry I've got a lot of things to get done". When I saw his face fall, I immediately regretted it but the long nurtured belief of "stranger danger" inside and lack of social practice from being in geographic isolation for the past year and always never walking around by myself all the years before that so I couldn't do anything about it...

Later I thought, he's probably old and lonely...I could have at least spared 15 minutes :( And, hmmm with my recent track record he's probably depressed too! Oh well, at least this time we're both locals so maybe I'll bump into him again...

I think I gotta proactively work on overcoming this fear of strangers thing- I KNOW I've missed out on some opportunities for cool friends etc...but I'm just so busy and it's too dangerous for me to be out and about unnecessarily once it gets dark cos I can't even get a cab to get home!

In any case I felt I had more to talk about with the grandpa than most people my age...I wonder what that says about me?!

That's it. Resolution: next random stranger encounter if they're sane, decent and not inebriated I'm gonna positively engage...need to face my fears!