Being from the South it is a common practice to strike up a conversation with complete strangers. I consider it polite to have a conversation. I was once on a train in Philadelphia where everyone stares out the window and says nothing but I of course did strike up a conversation with the man sitting next to me. Turned out he worked for the railroad and was from Virginia. He and I spent the entire train ride having a great conversation about the railroad and all the track maintenance that he oversaw. He also talked about missing "down home" where no one is a complete stranger. When he got off the train, dead silence on in the car packed full of people. Then and there I realized there is a difference between the North and the South. So if yo happen to be on the bus and a complete stranger with a funny accent strikes up a conversation perhaps he is just trying to be polite. Although, being polite I would never ask why you have a tattoo.

I might ask why you chose that particular tattoo.

In fact I think I will ask you now, why that tattoo and when did you get it?