Back in 2002 during my trip to Boston, I had a quick layover in Minneapolis/St. Paul (it’s one of the few airports you can get to directly from Houghton/Hancock). I was with my friend Karen, and on the way through we started talking to a relatively cute girl who was also there for a layover. We walked together for quite a little while, and as we approached our concourse it became apparent that this girl had totally missed her “stop” a little ways. I felt bad at the prospect that she might miss her flight, but I was also a little flattered that I could be so distracting (maybe I give myself too much credit though).
Either way, it was a fairly unusual experience just because of how infrequently I talked to girls in those days. I was much more used to girls who assume everyone to be creepy (perhaps rightfully so) and keep up social barriers by default. I’m sure the reasons varied from person to person, but that was the impression I got.
In Santa Monica, I suppose I was a recluse on my own account. Really I never got a great idea of what the people were like around there. I met some rather like-minded folks though work, but that was it.
In Seattle I’ve again been able to make friends after a time, but it’s somewhat difficult to meet new people, and conversations with strangers are few and far between.
When I went to New York, I started to see a bit the contrast between the “freeze” in Seattle and the social climates in other cities. On a few occasions I really felt bad because I found myself not sure how appropriate it would be to do nice things for people. I guess writing it down makes it seem especially ridiculous, but that’s how I have grown to think.
I’m just finishing a 4 day trip down to San Francisco to check out places to rent, and I’m continually reminded that I’m outside the “freeze.” It’s not even very big things most of the time. I ate at the mall food court one evening and as I sat down, a guy eating next to me said “Oh is that the Korean place? It looks good.” Also walking around the mall I started a conversation with a girl stationed at one of the cosmetics stands, advising her which cities she might enjoy visiting on her 2 month visit from Israel. Even on the way to the airport this evening, as I sat down at the Bart station someone sitting there commented “you just missed it” and we started chatting.
I can’t help but feel like I’m some animal whose grown up in captivity, finally being released back into the wild. When I think about it too much, part of me thinks it will take some effort getting used to the way things work here, and it might be exhausting at times. But the rest of me is excited for the challenge and the experience.
