Give me a naked stranger.

I like to cultivate dialogues. With interesting people. And virtually everyone is interesting. That is, if they open up. If they’re honest. If they’re willing to walk naked in the world. Unfortunately, too many people clam up. And they’re less than truthful. And they hide behind facades. That makes a dialogue almost impossible. Because there has to be abundant give and take. I don’t hesitate to start a conversation with a total stranger. And put ‘em to the test right away. To determine if they’re ready for a dialogue. By making more than small talk. Within the first five minutes of meeting a stranger, I want to know something significant about him/her. If I don’t, that’s a bad sign. Little likelihood for a genuine dialogue. I want strangers to be conversant. Naked, in a sense. Right from the start. –Jim Broede