The first time was when I stopped at a gas station on the way home from my hockey game to grab a gatorade. As I got out of the car I saw that the tiny little convenience store had like, at least 4 black people in it. I wasnt all that worried though because they werent all dressed like 50 cent like you see black people sometimes do.

 

So as I was coming back from the fridge with my gatorade I wasnt really sure how many if any of them were like, checking something out, so I just kind of stood back from all of them where I could wait to pay. A rather large black girl probably in her twenties looks right at me and says quite sincerely, "And how are you doin today?"

"Good, how bout you?" I responded, though I didnt seem to have as much enthusiasm in my voice as she did, which I should have, I mean, why should I of all people being anything less than friendly with strangers talking to me?

"Im fine, thanks" she said.

 

And that was pretty much it, but it was kind of nice that this person that I had zero in common with would ask to make sure I was having a good day.

 

Then as I was carrying my bag across the parking lot at the Uconn rink the second time I played hockey today, I saw a guy just as he was getting off his cell phone. He looked like he was probably an older teenager. He looked at me and said "Hi," and I said hi back, but it was one of those deals where I kind of had something in my throat so I sounded completely retarded, and I fucking hate that.

"How many more nights do you have of this?" he was referring to the Eastern Lightning hockey clinic I was doing.

"umm, I think like, 3, maybe 2."

"Thats cool." Then he asked what school I went to, and I said woodstock, and he asked if I played high school hockey and I explained how we dont have hockey or football. Then he kind of stayed walking next to me until I went off to the locker room.

 

I thought it was cool that this guy, whoever the hell he was, decided to have a conversation with me for no reason whatsoever. He pulled it off a lot better than I usually do, I must say. I wonder if people can tell Im nervous when I talk to them. This guy talked to me like it was perfectly natural, which, having casual conversation IS, which is what Im trying to prove.