A stranger asked me to have a conversation; here's why I'm glad I agreed

The Blaze ^ | October 10, 2025 | O.W. Root

[ansel12]

Nice tale, I miss interesting people, but mostly I miss people who are interested, that young man is interested and is going to have a nice life and connect with a lot of people, and learn a lot.

[Twotone]

I was very shy as a youngster. I would NEVER do what this young man did. But this is something that should certainly be encouraged. Schools (& parents) should be encouraging it.

[aynrandfreak]

Good story, thanks!

[Wilderness Conservative]

My response would have been get lost homo. Go troll a road side mens room

[Jane Long]

A lost art....conversing with strangers.

Thank you for posting.

[rlmorel]

There is nothing at all wrong with finding ways to increase human connections in our American society.

For decades, we have been trending towards individual compartmentation and isolation. And this has been fostered by the Left. COVID was a great example.

They want people to NOT interact. They want people NOT to travel. They want people to depend on the government for everything.

Our main problem is, we can talk to those people who have swallowed Leftism, say hello to them on the street, strike up conversations in airports and such. But we cannot talk to them and hope to find “middle ground”.

The things they have been led to believe in are fundamentally, and diametrically opposed to the things we believe in. The Left has been working hard to make our citizenry incompatible with living in a Constitutional Republic, and unable to do so.

I would like to see that change.

[GingisK]

I’d be willing to bet that is is an artificial story.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

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[Kudsman]

There is this whole push I have noticed over the radio waves.

"Tired of the devision? Please talk to us lefties".

Says the gaslighting mindflayers that have brought death, destruction, Marxism and humanism. Sure, I will talk. Can you handle the truth?

"I just wish it didn't have to be about who is right". Drones the supposed opposition conversationalist, paid voice actor.

Brought to you by the ad council.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

There is an O.W. Root -

"How you dress matters.
My conversation with the menswear expert, writer and father.

O.W. Root - How you dress matters.

Or:

O.W. Root
@necktiesalvage
Aesthetics, Style, Modernity, Life

Modern Lives Substack

Writers sell this stuff to those who buy this stuff. No sale, this time.

[mairdie]

I’m midwestern so I always talk to strangers. Not indepth conversations. The only ones I’ve had, usually in grocery stores, seem to be with insecure people looking for instant social, not sexual, intimacy who want contact information.

But I’ve always enjoyed the momentary communication with strangers you find in the midwest and very occasionally outside. People smiling at one another just because you’re both alive. The sincere complement about a wonderful shade of blue hair or an unusual blouse or just the biggest smile on a sunny day.

You can do it in Los Angeles or Westchester County NY, but the response is often mixed with a trace of panic or suspicion before you see a surprised pleasure spread over their face. It’s fun to be a pre-boomer.

[kiryandil]

Thanks for this!

Good Saturday morning! 🙂

[unread]

"My response would have been get lost homo. Go troll a road side mens room.

Yeah, I would have immediately check to see if I had my gat with me, then I would have told the kid to get lost.. I've become Callused and probably way too bitter in my old age when it comes to the "zoomers".

I trust them about as much as they trust me...

[KarlInOhio]

My response would have been get lost homo. Go troll a road side mens room

Mine would have been "what are you selling?". Most people who are talking to me cold like that are either selling insurance, a multilevel marketing scheme or religion.

[T.B. Yoits]

[kosciusko51]

When I’m on travel, I’ll talk to strangers on the plane or at hotel/airport bars. It’s not hard to find something in common with someone who is willing to talk.

One time, I met a young man who flew all over the US to fix pipelines. Part of his job was to install a specific type of flow meter that I happen to work on years before. It was a good conversation that would have never happened if stayed in my shell.

[PGR88]

I was very shy as a youngster. I would NEVER do what this young man did. But this is something that should certainly be encouraged. Schools (& parents) should be encouraging it.

I as well. I found that forced public speaking, starting in school, doing presentations, helped a lot. I even took a public speaking class in college. The teacher gave us simple rules about preparation, and said basically - its ALL just regular practice and becoming comfortable with speaking - overcoming one's fear through using a simple format, preparation and constant practice / repetition.

I've since spoken at industry conferences and such, in front of hundreds of people. I don't know if I could do what someone like Charlie Kirk did, ie) ad hoc, extemporaneous debate in front of thousands, but I suppose with some practice, even that is possible.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

In this modern age, everyone's a writer. And/or a publisher. And many of course are "content creators" for YouTube and all.

Here are titles of some of Root's articles:

"Michigan's Best Fish and Chips Is in the Middle of Nowhere"

"Would You Live in a Trailer Park Right on Lake Michigan?"

"My grandpa's old desk"

O.W. Root - Muck Rack

And that stuff above about "content creators," yeah. Him too.

O.W. Root - O. W. Root's channel