Are We Having Fun Yet?

I hate small talk.  At work, in the elevator, on the T -  small talk is everywhere.  And, generally, it fits into three  categories:

The weather: This morning, I had a doctor's appointment and while riding the elevator, a woman said to me, "Nice weather, huh?" (it's raining).  Then, while checking in at the doctor's office, the reception said to me, "This weather...ugh."  Other variations: "Oh, the heat!"  "Oh, the snow!"  "Oh, the dew point!"

Whether or not we are having fun: "Are we having fun yet?" or, the perplexing, "Are we having fun or are we having fun?"  How are we supposed to answer that?  "Yes, I am having fun; yet I am also having fun, too."  What?

The day of the week:  "Thank God it's Friday."  "It's Munnnnnday..."  My personal favorite, said on Thursdays: "One more day!"  Does everyone just count the days to the weekend? What are you, just a cog in a machine?  You show up, do your job and then collect a paycheck?  Just quit and go do something else!  Don't just keep coming to work so you can tell coworkers and strangers how glad you are that it's Friday or how many days there are until Friday.  Here's what I want to say to the "One more day 'til Friday" people: "Eight more days...until next Friday!  And 15 more days...until the Friday after that!  5,200 Fridays from now, we'll all be dead!"

One of the defining characteristics of small talk is that it is stating the obvious.  So why do we limit ourselves to talking about the weather, fun, or what day of the week it is relative to Friday? I would like to get on an elevator with a stranger and say:

"I have a nose," or
"In 7 months, it will be December," or
"This elevator was made by Otis."

And then we'd nod and smile at each other, our connection to each other cemented by our meaningful conversation about the universal truths of life.

Comments

[Janine]

Finally! Thank you, Ellen, for saying what we have all been thinking for years. Instead of responding according to your clever suggestions in response to small talk, we fake laugh and nod, while biting our tongues and trying not to cry.

[Paul]

If you hate small talk what type of conversation do you like ? Small talk cannot be avoided in certain situations. :)