more strangers

I think I should start a blog series called 'talking with strangers' because apparently I do it a lot! but I don't want to make a knock off 'humans of ny' so that idea goes down the drain. but I'll share some stories anyways.

first story brings a whole new meaning to 'locker room talk'. so, I'm a swim instructor in downtown Seattle, at this place that has a lot of clients from all different backgrounds. while sweating in the sauna, I can usually pick out at least three different languages. and it's also a pretty busy place in the evenings when I work, since people are just getting off of work. locker rooms kind of make me feel self conscious, but apparently even the grandmas here aren't too shy to chill in their birthday suit. so, I was just minding my own business, scrambling to get changed because I'm never not busy. then I start to feel like someone is staring at me. I turn around and this old Chinese woman is looking at me and says a pretty long comment in a language that is definitely not English. I replied, "sorry I can't understand you" (in English) and she said, "you don't speak Chinese?" and I was like "no, I'm Vietnamese". The conversation ended there, but all I can say is, I hope she was complimenting me on my physique.

the next two conversations I had were with my Lyft drivers. I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I will say it again, because I can't express this enough: taxi drivers are the best people to talk to. they all have such unique stories, and it makes sense; no one grows up wanting to be a taxi driver. it's kind of like a stepping stone or an easy buck kind of thing. anyways, last Sunday when i was struggling to get to Bellevue to see Shaefer (who is also technically a stranger since I hadn't actually met her in person until Sunday), I gave up on the bus system 10 minutes before I had to get there and decided it was a good day for my first Lyft ride. Wilfried was the drivers name. He was a native French speaker from Cameroon who moved to the US a couple years ago to learn English. Wilfried said driving people has been the most helpful way to learn English, because he gets to sit and practice talking to people all day. He said the best way to learn a language was to live a place that speaks the language, and encouraged me to study in Spain. He listened to K-LOVE, which took me back home for a little bit. I didn't know that station existed in Seattle. wherever you are Wilfried, I hope you get to become a software engineer one day.

I met the other Lyft driver, Steve, yesterday. He knows the guy who wrote the original manuals for Microsoft. that dude has been with Microsoft since the beginning, and according to Steve, that made him pretty loaded. dude took the money, retired early, traveled the world, and then got diagnosed with terminal cancer. Steve said that was perfect timing. Cancer after a full life, that's the way to go. Steve was apparently a pretty connected guy and knew Kari Ferguson who wrote "The OCD Mormon". I guess that's what happens when you combine living one of the biggest thriving cities in the world and being a Mormon -- being connected that is, not OCD.

Well, I think that's all the notable strangers I have from this week. It's okay to talk to strangers, just don't get into cars with them (which I almost did but then changed my mind about because I realized they were a stranger). Also don't accept food from them; even though it's unopened, doesn't mean you should take it. There is always a reason why they're giving it away. No one gives away fresh produce from their organic farm, they give you nasty crap that screws up your body when you eat enough of it. my stomach is currently dying and I feel like I need to puke. k bye.