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I believe that we should talk to strangers. By engaging in unexpected friendly conversation with strangers, our lives can be affected in ways that are extraordinary. I learned this valuable and life-changing experience during my sophomore year of college.
I am a student and part-time waitress in Chicago, and I spend most of my time at work engaging in as little real conversation as possible. This is not done intentionally, but rather, instinctively. Growing up, I was used to phrases such as “Don’t talk to strangers”and “Mind your own business.” As a result, I don’t talk to unknown people at work beyond taking orders and the occasional weather chat. Similarly, I never strike up a conversation on a 3-hour plane flight or know the name of the woman I ride the train with every day. But the process of keeping to myself ended in a life-changing way.
One night a little old man, probably in his 80s, came in and sat in my section. I took his order and went on my way. But I noticed that he came in, week after week, and always sat at one of my tables. Slowly I began having short conversations with my new guest. His name was Mr. Rogers, but he insisted that I call him Don. I learned that he and his wife had gone to dinner and a movie every Saturday. Since she had died, he carried on this tradition alone. I began looking forward to him coming in and telling me his movie reviews. I also knew his order by heart: a half a chicken salad sandwich, a cup of potato soup and a bottle of 1)Coors Light, which he never finished.
As the weeks went on, I began to sit and really talk with Don. We talked about his wife, his days flying in the war, his son who had grown and moved away. Eventually we began to talk about my ambitions; going to school and the anticipation of my future.
About four months after meeting Mr. Rogers, I received a call at home from a nurse, telling me that Don was in 2)intensive care at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital. He was experiencing 3)complications from an emergency heart surgery, and had begun to bleed 4)internally. I immediately drove to the hospital to see him. The first thing he did was thank me for urging him to visit the doctor. At first I didn’t know what he was referring to. Then I remembered that about three weeks earlier Don was complaining about chest pains and I gave him the number for a doctor I know. At the hospital the nurses always asked, “Are you his daughter?”, and I always replied, “No, I’m his waitress”.
Since meeting Don I have learned that strangers can become 5)acquaintances and even friends. I recently found myself really talking to customers at the restaurant. I’ve had a lot more fun, the time has gone by faster, and I’ve gotten to know some of the people I see on a regular basis.
Don taught me that life can be much more enjoyable if I engage in friendly conversations. After all, I became more than just his waitress. I became his friend.
我认为我们应该和陌生人说话。通过与陌生人之间进行意外的友好谈话，我们的人生将会受到非比寻常的影响。我上大二的时候学到了这份改变人生的珍贵经验。
我是芝加哥的一名学生，兼职当服务员。我工作的时候，大部分时间都极少与人真正地交谈。我可不是故意这么干的，而是本能如此。从小到大，我一直习惯了诸如“别和陌生人说话”“别多管闲事”这样的话。结果，在工作时除了点餐以及偶尔闲聊天气外，我不会和不认识的人说话。同样地，我从不会在一趟三小时的航班上跟别人打开话题，我也不知道每天和我坐同一趟火车的女人叫什么名字。然而我这种孤僻封闭的状态最后以一种改变我人生的方式结束。
一天晚上，一个大概80多岁的瘦小老头走了进来，坐在我负责的服务区里。我为他点了餐，然后继续做我的事。后来，我发觉他一周接一周地来这里并总是坐在我负责的其中一张桌子旁。慢慢地，我与我的新客人开始了一些简短的对话。他叫罗杰斯先生，但他坚持让我称他为唐。我了解到他和妻子以前每个周六都会在外共进晚餐，并且一起去看电影。自从她去世后，他就独自一人继续他俩的老习惯。我开始盼望着他来就餐，告诉我他的电影观后感。我也记住了他的常规餐单：半份撒拉三文治，一碗土豆汤，还有一瓶他总是喝不完的银子弹啤酒。
时间一周一周地过去，我开始坐下来认真地和唐聊天。我们聊关于他妻子的事，他在战场当飞行员的日子，以及他已经长大成人并且搬到外面居住的儿子。后来，我们开始谈我的宏图大志，上学以及我对未来的期望。
在遇到罗杰斯先生大概四个月后，我在家里收到一通护士打来的电话，说唐正在芝加哥慈爱医院接受重症监护。他做完紧急心脏手术后出现并发症，开始出现内出血。我立刻驾车到医院看望他。他做的第一件事就是感谢我敦促他来看医生。起初我并不明白他说什么。接着我记起大约三周前，唐曾抱怨说胸部疼痛，我就将我认识的一位医生的电话给了他。在医院里，护士们经常问：“你是他的女儿吗？”我总是回答说：“不是，我是他的服务员。”
自从遇到唐后，我明白到陌生人都可以成为熟人，甚至是朋友。我最近发现自己在餐厅里会真正地和顾客们交谈了。我过得更开心，时间也过得更快，而且我认识了一些定期会见到的人。
唐教会了我要是我与人友好地谈话，人生会变得更加美好。毕竟，我可不只是他的服务员，我成了他的朋友。
I am a student and part-time waitress in Chicago, and I spend most of my time at work engaging in as little real conversation as possible. This is not done intentionally, but rather, instinctively. Growing up, I was used to phrases such as “Don’t talk to strangers”and “Mind your own business.” As a result, I don’t talk to unknown people at work beyond taking orders and the occasional weather chat. Similarly, I never strike up a conversation on a 3-hour plane flight or know the name of the woman I ride the train with every day. But the process of keeping to myself ended in a life-changing way.
One night a little old man, probably in his 80s, came in and sat in my section. I took his order and went on my way. But I noticed that he came in, week after week, and always sat at one of my tables. Slowly I began having short conversations with my new guest. His name was Mr. Rogers, but he insisted that I call him Don. I learned that he and his wife had gone to dinner and a movie every Saturday. Since she had died, he carried on this tradition alone. I began looking forward to him coming in and telling me his movie reviews. I also knew his order by heart: a half a chicken salad sandwich, a cup of potato soup and a bottle of 1)Coors Light, which he never finished.
As the weeks went on, I began to sit and really talk with Don. We talked about his wife, his days flying in the war, his son who had grown and moved away. Eventually we began to talk about my ambitions; going to school and the anticipation of my future.
About four months after meeting Mr. Rogers, I received a call at home from a nurse, telling me that Don was in 2)intensive care at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital. He was experiencing 3)complications from an emergency heart surgery, and had begun to bleed 4)internally. I immediately drove to the hospital to see him. The first thing he did was thank me for urging him to visit the doctor. At first I didn’t know what he was referring to. Then I remembered that about three weeks earlier Don was complaining about chest pains and I gave him the number for a doctor I know. At the hospital the nurses always asked, “Are you his daughter?”, and I always replied, “No, I’m his waitress”.
Since meeting Don I have learned that strangers can become 5)acquaintances and even friends. I recently found myself really talking to customers at the restaurant. I’ve had a lot more fun, the time has gone by faster, and I’ve gotten to know some of the people I see on a regular basis.
Don taught me that life can be much more enjoyable if I engage in friendly conversations. After all, I became more than just his waitress. I became his friend.
我认为我们应该和陌生人说话。通过与陌生人之间进行意外的友好谈话，我们的人生将会受到非比寻常的影响。我上大二的时候学到了这份改变人生的珍贵经验。
我是芝加哥的一名学生，兼职当服务员。我工作的时候，大部分时间都极少与人真正地交谈。我可不是故意这么干的，而是本能如此。从小到大，我一直习惯了诸如“别和陌生人说话”“别多管闲事”这样的话。结果，在工作时除了点餐以及偶尔闲聊天气外，我不会和不认识的人说话。同样地，我从不会在一趟三小时的航班上跟别人打开话题，我也不知道每天和我坐同一趟火车的女人叫什么名字。然而我这种孤僻封闭的状态最后以一种改变我人生的方式结束。
一天晚上，一个大概80多岁的瘦小老头走了进来，坐在我负责的服务区里。我为他点了餐，然后继续做我的事。后来，我发觉他一周接一周地来这里并总是坐在我负责的其中一张桌子旁。慢慢地，我与我的新客人开始了一些简短的对话。他叫罗杰斯先生，但他坚持让我称他为唐。我了解到他和妻子以前每个周六都会在外共进晚餐，并且一起去看电影。自从她去世后，他就独自一人继续他俩的老习惯。我开始盼望着他来就餐，告诉我他的电影观后感。我也记住了他的常规餐单：半份撒拉三文治，一碗土豆汤，还有一瓶他总是喝不完的银子弹啤酒。
时间一周一周地过去，我开始坐下来认真地和唐聊天。我们聊关于他妻子的事，他在战场当飞行员的日子，以及他已经长大成人并且搬到外面居住的儿子。后来，我们开始谈我的宏图大志，上学以及我对未来的期望。
在遇到罗杰斯先生大概四个月后，我在家里收到一通护士打来的电话，说唐正在芝加哥慈爱医院接受重症监护。他做完紧急心脏手术后出现并发症，开始出现内出血。我立刻驾车到医院看望他。他做的第一件事就是感谢我敦促他来看医生。起初我并不明白他说什么。接着我记起大约三周前，唐曾抱怨说胸部疼痛，我就将我认识的一位医生的电话给了他。在医院里，护士们经常问：“你是他的女儿吗？”我总是回答说：“不是，我是他的服务员。”
自从遇到唐后，我明白到陌生人都可以成为熟人，甚至是朋友。我最近发现自己在餐厅里会真正地和顾客们交谈了。我过得更开心，时间也过得更快，而且我认识了一些定期会见到的人。
唐教会了我要是我与人友好地谈话，人生会变得更加美好。毕竟，我可不只是他的服务员，我成了他的朋友。