Sometimes it is better not to talk

The city has hardened me. I notice most when I go to my parents' house on Long Island. I move too quickly in stores, make little eye contact, and don't partake in conversations that are not necessary. I have often found myself unable to respond to a cashier or friendly customer because I have no idea what they say to me. Usually in New York, I don't have to listen to anything. You can respond adeptly to any interaction without hearing any words uttered (if any words are in fact uttered). In the suburbs, though, people actually talk to you, and to respond correctly, one has to listen to the specific words that comes from their mouths. Worse, yet, these people often mean what they say.

Anyway, most of the time I don't have to worry about this, and can go about with blinders on and with a general distaste for others.

One morning on the elevator, for instance, I overheard the following conversation, and just kept thinking, "Why are you talking at all? This conversation is completely pointless. There is no need to be speaking right now." However, when I recounted the story later in the day, I must have been in a better mood, and couldn't recall why it had bothered me so much. I will try to tell the story now as I first experienced it, with mild annoyance and my NYC attitude.

I work in a office building that houses different companies on various floors. The elevator I use services five floors, all of which are home to law firms save the one that belongs to my company. Standing in silence, I heard the man ask the woman who he clearly knew, "Is that tea with milk in it?"

"It's Chai Tea," she told him in the normal morning-trivial-conversation-way, "It's my addiction."

Really, Woman? Is that your addiction ? That is totally the weakest addiction I have ever heard, unless you are trying to imply that it is a waste of money to purchase tea every day when you can more easily make it, which I doubt you are, judging by the floor on which you work, and which you in no way implied.

"I should really switch from coffee to tea," Man said. Which he never will! Why say things that you have no intent in following through with. I often think I should live forever. Maybe I'll try that?

"Well, I just pretend this is better, but I have no evidence that it really has less caffeine than coffee," Woman responded.

No evidence?? While Chai tea does have more caffeine than many other types of teas, it (generally) has less caffeine than per ml than coffee. More importantly, it is very easy to find evidence of this.