The Popsicle Thief

I knocked on my friend's door. I didn't recognize the guy who opened it. He was licking a Popsicle. We got to talking about...well...whatever.

"Yeah, my cousins aren't home...I just came by to visit them for a second."

"And it looks like you came by to steal a Popsicle too." I joked.

He gave me a sheepish grin. I'd caught him red-handed. I found out later that after our chat he called his cousin and confessed to having eaten a Popsicle.

This is short because I got a question today I want to answer. Here it is:

Question: "I recently read your blog. Yesterday, I was on a run when I noticed a man sitting Indian-style on the pavement reading a book. What made this man interesting was that he was outside his car reading on the ground, right next to a freeway. There was a lovely little park within 50 feet of him, and a library about a block away. I really wanted to know what, and why, he was reading like that, but I didn't know what to say. I thought to myself...'What would The Amigo say?'...How would you start a conversation with him?"

Answer: In most cases, the best way to start a conversation is by asking the other person something about what he is doing. People love to talk about themselves. In this particular case, I would have asked, "Excuse me, but can I ask what book you are reading?" I've noticed people love to talk about the books they read, because they feel intelligent. I would then asked if he liked it and why. Then, after we have established "likability", I might move on to something like..."Why did you decide to read right here on the side of the road...you know there's a park close by?"