Do random older people come and talk to you?

It really didn’t happen to me when I was young.

They have confidence and want not to waste time alone in the bus. I get this when in the taxi. I end up telling really personal info.

Yep. First time, I was about 4 years old, and my mom had left me in the car while she went to the bank. She came back and zoomed away and told me not to talk to strangers, even though I was sure he was just a nice guy.

As a kid in general, I think I tended to relate to adults well. I think it’s partly because the adults in my family were all approachable and nice and respectful (the case I just mentioned was an exception that stood out in contrast), as opposed to the parents of many other kids, who seemed to treat their children as inferiors or adversaries or something, creating a weird “other” relationship that strained communication and discouraged openness. The children of those parents, it seemed to me, tended to have a more defensive usual orientation towards elders, than the kids with more “open” parents.

I also tended to be thoughtful and receptive to actual communication.

Look at younger people yourself, and you might notice that some seem more like people you could have a useful exchange with, compared to others. I expect you just seem (and are) more like a person whom it’d work to talk to like that, than others, in one way or another.

At this point in my life I’m having trouble finding people who are older than I, and still sentient, mobile and willing to speak, other than the occasional “Get off my lawn, punk!” that one hears in the burbs (at least in movies).

I’m a random older person now ( age 56 ) and I talk to everyone, young and old. One of my best little buddies is a girl that works at the local corner gas station, she is probably about 22–24 or so, and we talk all the time. I am always cracking her up with my wacky stories.
Age has nothing to do with enjoying new people of all ages.

Out of curiosity, @idream3r – what do you consider older?

It happened a lot when I was pregnant, and even more when I was walking around with a newborn. Granted, I looked really freaking young at the time – I was 22 when he was born and I have chronic young-face, and probably really looked like I needed help. Honestly, though, a bunch of old folks from up North giving me instructions to overdress my newborn when we’re in Florida and it’s August 30th and 95 degrees outside? You can fuck right off.

I recommend all new mothers (and pending mothers) carry a whiffle-ball bat to ward off unwanted advice.

I wouldn’t say “random” but I find older people are more open to conversations with strangers. I find if they are curious about something, they will discuss it whereas it seems younger people are more into “minding their own business.”

Butler interview day

All the time. A woman once told me her entire life story while we were waiting for a plane. She was a really interesting lady. In fact, I’ve met a lot of interesting people this way. A coworker once told me this happens because I have an “approachable face,” but I have no idea what that means. Maybe they just know I’ll listen.

I usually find myself the one who start conversation with anybody, young or old. And I’m 21.

I was just out here at the ranch I am house/horse sitting at talking with my favorite cool, artsy, college kid/evening paddock cleaner ” Taylor.”
Taylor loves me, he gets my humor and we share a love of sculpture and pottery. He throws some amazing pottery and I bought a beautiful vase from him a few weeks ago. He always shows me his latest creations and tonight he showed me a picture on his phone of an awesome drawing her did.

It triggered my memory and I told him how, for years, when I was married that I drew the best caricatures of my ex husband in drag. lol
He was cracking up.
Only two equally wacky types would find the humor in something like that, if I shared that with some people they would just think I was crazy. haha

While my mom was recently in the ICU I would spend a lot of time out in the patient Lounge and there I would see other patients come and go and very often they would stop sit and talk it would just begin to talk about life things that are going on in their lives going in my life have these really deep conversations that were always interrupted by a nurse or family member who would then drag them back to their room but it was telling the end of life that was an uncertain destiny that no one was prepared for…the dying or the living…I cherish those moments

I once had a man ask me how much hockey sticks cost nowadays, as I was holding one.

I also had a rather pleasant conversation with a man after I vacated my seat for him.

Both on trams.

I talk to them, they talk to me. The only people who seem less wanting to talk are people who are much younger. Young adults under age 25. I don’t know if they think I’m some crazy old lady if I say something to them (I’m 48) or if they are still in a stage where they only want to speak to people in their group who they strongly identify with, or if they are a texting generation that has lost the ability to communicate well face-to-face.

All the time.

The first person I remember was an older gentleman when I was 12. I was with my parents on a pier in San Diego. He said “don’t sell yourself short.”

He could tell I was shy and didn’t have confidence. That comment is imbedded in my brain.

Veey often. Usually they rant on about politics and the state of society.

I would certainly never approach @Seek when she’s carrying around that baseball bat. You get what you put out in life.

I’m a random older person now and i love the casual interactions i have throughout the day. I don’t usually have deep convos but i think it’s great that you, OP, do and that you enjoy them.

No—because I’m one of those random older people. I rarely approach strangers, young or not, and ask them questions. However, I do try to show sincere interest in my closest friends’ lives and those of their children’s.

@marinelife Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it.

@RedDeerGuy1 That might be the case, also i guess they want to pass down some wisdom to the next generation.

@Zaku Wow, Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. That really gave me something to think about. You remind me of myself in a way. I also related more to adults when I was younger. You are right when you said some parents treat kids as inferiors. That should not be the case. I treat kids younger than myself as equals. Many of them are very intelligent and can hold a thoughtful conversation with adults.

@CWOTUS Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. Sorry to hear about your situation. Hope things get better. Try going to more social events where there is people older than yourself.

@elbanditoroso Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. People Older than myself, or people my parents age and older.

@seek Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. Funny story. I look younger than my age myself. I am 26 but look 17.

@jca Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. That is very true.

@ucme Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. Sorry not quite sure I know what that is

@JeSuisRickSpringfield Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. I know what you mean. I get the same thing from people. They say I look interesting, not sure what that means.

@Mimishu1995 Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. Wish I was like that. I am a pretty shy person.

@Coloma Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. Thanks for the sharing your story as well.

@Cruiser Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. I often think about life and death a lot. When I am out and about enjoying life, I always think to myself one day I will be gone. The fear of not existing anymore scares me so much.

@Magical_Muggle Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. I guess sometimes a simple encounter can lead to meaning conversations.

@JLeslie Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. Many young people don’t like meaningful talk these days. They only talk about nonsense they see on social media and tv. It is truly sad.

@dammitjanetfromvegas Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. That was nice. Just a day ago I had some random lady tell me “very good, always be good” ” we have had enough violence”. People thought she was crazy but she was speaking the truth.

@ZEPHYRA Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. For me is usually about life and doing good.

@janbb Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. It is always nice to have meaningful conversations. Always nice to learn new things.

@Pachy Thanks for the response. Really appreciate it. It is always nice to stay close to family and friends.

@idream3r Once in a while I have a really brief interaction with young people, and sometimes I feel like I said something that really made them think, or at least pause for a second. Something that they obviously never heard before. Mostly, I like to listen to them when they are interesting. Hear what they think about things.

When I talk to younger people (people in their 20’s), I remind myself that when I was their age, the age I am now was “old” although I must say that when I was their age, people my age looked old.

@jca I definitely think I’m old to a 20 something. It takes a looong time to get to the age of 20, or 25, so 48 (my age) is soooo far in the distance. Then time starts to speed up, and by 40 we understand 70 isn’t that far off.

@JLeslie @jca very true, Its nice to hear their opinions on certain issues. Many of them have really interesting views. I can not believe I am turning 27 in 2 weeks. I think where has the time gone. I have not accomplished any of my dreams and goals yet. Some it is too late to accomplish due to my age. It has opened my eyes to really live life to the fullest.

I can’t imagine anything is too late at age 27.

Yes, but it’s usually the other way around. I go up to them and strike up conversations. Older folks seem to be more open to conversation and don’t get all freaked out if you ask them a question. I talk to older folks in line at grocery stores all the time.

Maybe part of it is that I believe people have an average amount of conversation they like (need) to have per day. Young people usually already have a load of listening and talking they do daily just by being in school or working, and add in having friends they interact with. Sometimes, older people aren’t getting enough interaction, and so when someone is open to talking they seize the moment.

I also notice older people (elderly people) will make eye contact and smile, for example in the store or public place. Younger people tend to not make eye contact and therefore, no smiling happens.

I will always return a smile.