Conversations with Strangers

Recently I have been poking my head out of my Rapunzel Tower a little bit more - mostly due to it being a busier time of the year - shopping - right - Christmas shopping.

Anyway, interactions with people always brings fascinating conversations with folks and the past two weeks I have had the same sort of conversation with six separate strangers.

This conversation usually starts when I am asked a series of questions:

"Are you married/have a partner? Do you have kids?"

Now, here is the interesting part.

I say no.

The woman - it's always a woman - will look at me totally confused for a moment and ask again.

"How old are you?"

To which I will reply: "Thirty-one."

Confusion. Bafflement. Then amusement.

"I thought you were at least twenty-five."

I laugh and reply. "I know. I get that a lot."

Which. I do.

The conversation then turns to why? Why am I not married. Why do I not have kids?

Now, keep in mind, these are complete strangers. Shopping assistants, hairdresser I have never met, someone who accused me of shoplifting because I had a backpack and looked "too young". Strangers are asking me these questions.

So, I answer truthfully. I don't know how to organically meet people anymore, so, where do I find a guy? These random strangers looked at me with surprise, considered my words, and each one agreed. I ended up having six separate, but almost identical, fascinating conversations with six women - about the difficulties of dating in a world consumed by social media. Mind you, all of them had partners - and none of them could give me any advice, they all found themselves feeling stumped.

At the end of my hairdresser's appointment - my last "conversation" - the hairdresser smiled at me, told me I had beautiful hair, and I could see her again in another three years (it's been that long since I've cut my hair).

"Maybe you'll be married by then."

I laughed. "Who knows, anything is possible, right?"

True. A world of possibilities always lies ahead.

I would love it if just one of my local churches started up a formal dance night for thirty somethings. I would happily buy a beautiful dress and go along - but - they haven't and it irritates me so much that no one thinks about these sorts of things. You know, it's making me wonder if I could just go to the council and ask to start one up anyway. XD Be proactive. Raise some money. Find a hall! Let's start a movement and bring back monthly dances. (Even though I can't dance, but that's not the point! It's the pretty dresses!)

Ah well, possibilities.