There you sit, been side by side for two hours, and
not one of you spoke to the fellow in the next seat.
~ Harry Lauder
I am tired of traveling, but not of the people I meet when I travel. When sitting in airports or on planes, I love to be a little different, get conversations going, and to make new friends. My friend Patch Adams says he occasionally carries some fake dog poop to the airport with him. Before his plane takes off, he drops it on the ground near his seat. He makes some pretty interesting new friends that way!
Patch and I made many friends once just walking through an airport. He is way over six feet tall and was wearing his crazy clown outfit. I am less than six feet tall and have a shaved head. Years ago when neither of us was known very well, we went to the airport after attending a meeting. My wife dropped back so she wouldn’t be seen with the two escapees from a mental institution. Actually, she did it to enjoy watching the reaction of everyone in the airport as we walked past. The two of us made many friends with those who had the courage to approach us.
I always go up to the purple-haired, tattooed, bizarrely dressed people and ask, “Why are you trying to be inconspicuous?” They always laugh and once they realize I am like them, we hit it off and I have a new friend.
What are some creative things you could do to make some interesting new friends?
Peace,
~ Bernie
