July 7, 2014. An innocuous Publix parking lot at lunchtime, in the middle of the rush. I'm walking to my sensible Japanese hybrid with a Boar's Head turkey sub in hand. From a row of cars over, a question floats to my ear from a conversation between an attractive girl and a guy... well, a guy that looks and acts a lot like me. That is to say, equal parts rangy and awkward. The question?
"You shop at Publix, too?"
I say all that to say this: I've struggled with small talk all my life. I've started some really stupid weather-related conversations in the interest of not staring blankly at whoever is standing across from me. This question rocked me to my core, because I've been there dozens of times. Attractive girl! Scan surroundings for conversation material! Um, Publix - you shop at Publix, too? It was tough to watch as a third party, but I know that it gets better. Eventually. Theoretically.
I just wanted to give the guy a hug.
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