4TheRcrd Mag.

Technically this is not an ‘official’ Speaking to Strangers as I originally conceived it. Part of this experiment is to approach others myself but last night a stranger started talking to me. The experience has lingered with me the day after so I feel it is appropriate to share.

This dialogue is not verbatim but a remembrance of our interaction.

I’m waiting for the bus on Jan 7 around 8:30 p.m., heading into downtown. I arrive at the bus stop and a woman maybe a few years younger than me is already there.

Young Woman: Do you know when the bus is coming?
Me: No… but I can call… oh, there’s no stop number.
Young Woman: That’s ok.
Me: Have you been waiting long?
Young Woman: No, I just got here.

This is the point where I can tell this Young Woman wants to talk to me. I think it’s a shame I didn’t bring my MP3 voice recorder.

A pimped up Cadillac stops right in front of us, I can feel it’s throbbing bass rattling my bones.

Young Woman: That’s a nice car.
Me: Yeah- and it looks like they know it.
Young Woman: … So, did you have a good holiday?
Me: Yeah, it was pretty mellow but good. You?
Young Woman: Good. Busy. I just spoke to my Mom today for the first time in 3 months.
Me: Wow. You must have been busy.
Young Woman: Sort of.

Our conversation goes into the whole, what were you busy with work? Do you live around here? Then she says;

Young Woman: I’ve been in recovery.

I know that there are a few recovery (from addiction) homes nearby.

Young Woman: I’m three days sober.
Me: That’s fantastic.

It’s at this point I begin to wonder what she’s recovering from: alcohol, meth or something harder? She’s a pretty girl, but she looks tired. I’d guess she was 20- 24 years old but she could be younger. Addiction can age a person.

She tells me about her family moving back to Ontario this summer. She tells me that a friend of hers recently told her that her eyes looked like the life was gone from them. I tell her this can be a turning point. Like how when I thought I was looking good, but my friends told me they were starting to worry about my body, and that’s when I realized that I might have an eating disorder. We share our stories, stories some of our friends probably don’t even know, in the brief 10 min we have together.

My stop arrives and I tell her it was nice talking to her and I say goodbye.

I walk away thinking how speaking to strangers, if you’re open to the idea, they will begin talking to you because sometimes people just need someone to listen. And listening can have more impact than anything you could ever say.

I wish this Young Woman all the best with her recovery and that she takes 2008 one day at a time.