Earlier today I was talking to my brother about how I had summoned the courage to go spend the night at a stranger's house earlier this month, and somewhere during that conversation, I had also mentioned to him how wealthy the house looked and how I was sure that whatever it was the guy who owns the house was doing for work, he definitely was doing very well.
But while I was having that conversation with my brother, he had asked me a question that has refused to leave my mind because it made me realize that I might have just lost an opportunity, and it was all thanks to me not being able to find a common ground with strangers, where I could get to talk to them and make them comfortable around me to maybe like me and want to help.
My brother had asked me if I had tried talking to the guy to possibly know what he does for a living. Seeing how he was living that well, perhaps he could put me on.
That obviously wouldn't have been a bad question. Of course I wasn't going to just walk up to him and ask him the question, but I perhaps could have eased my way up to him by trying to talk to him that evening that I was there and then somehow just find a way to steer the conversation into the direction that I wanted it to go.
photo by Priscilla Du Preez
But unfortunately for my introverted self, I was already feeling uncomfortable being at a stranger's place. Even though I and the stranger both had a mutual friend who made it possible for me to be able to pass the night over at his place, I still felt like I was imposing, so the moment I got to his place, we had both exchanged pleasantries, and the moment he showed me the room I would be staying for the night, I had gone in and refused to come out.
In my defense, I thought I was doing him a favor by not coming outside to disturb him and get all in his face, especially seeing how he lives alone and was probably used to being alone.
But now that I do think about it, I do feel like I was overthinking the whole thing, and maybe coming out to sit with him and talk could have been a very good idea. Unfortunately I failed to seize that moment, and I honestly don't know if I'm ever going to have that chance again.
