I believe that we should talk to strangers. By engaging in unexpected friendly conversation with strangers， our lives can be affected in ways that are extraordinary. I learned this valuable and life-changing experience during my sophomore year of college.

I am a student and part-time waitress in Chicago， and I spend most of my time at work engaging in as little real conversation as possible. This is not done intentionally， but rather， instinctively. Growing up， I was used to phrases such as “Don’t talk to strangers”and “Mind your own business.” As a result， I don’t talk to unknown people at work beyond taking orders and the occasional weather chat. Similarly， I never strike up a conversation on a 3-hour plane flight or know the name of the woman I ride the train with every day. But the process of keeping to myself ended in a life-changing way.

One night a little old man， probably in his 80s， came in and sat in my section. I took his order and went on my way. But I noticed that he came in， week after week， and always sat at one of my tables. Slowly I began having short conversations with my new guest. His name was Mr. Rogers， but he insisted that I call him Don. I learned that he and his wife had gone to dinner and a movie every Saturday. Since she had died， he carried on this tradition alone. I began looking forward to him coming in and telling me his movie reviews. I also knew his order by heart： a half a chicken salad sandwich， a cup of potato soup and a bottle of Coors Light1， which he never finished.

As the weeks went on， I began to sit and really talk with Don. We talked about his wife， his days flying in the war， his son who had grown and moved away. Eventually we began to talk about my ambitions； going to school and the anticipation of my future.

About four months after meeting Mr. Rogers， I received a call at home from a nurse， telling me that Don was in intensive care2 at Chicago’s Mercy Hospital. He was experiencing complications3 from an emergency heart surgery， and had begun to bleed internally4. I immediately drove to the hospital to see him. The first thing he did was thank me for urging him to visit the doctor. At first I didn’t know what he was referring to. Then I remembered that about three weeks earlier Don was complaining about chest pains and I gave him the number for a doctor I know. At the hospital the nurses always asked， “Are you his daughter？”， and I always replied， “No， I’m his waitress”.

Since meeting Don I have learned that strangers can become acquaintances5 and even friends. I recently found myself really talking to customers at the restaurant. I’ve had a lot more fun， the time has gone by faster， and I’ve gotten to know some of the people I see on a regular basis.

Don taught me that life can be much more enjoyable if I engage in friendly conversations. After all， I became more than just his waitress. I became his friend.

我認(rèn)為我們應(yīng)該和陌生人說話。通過與陌生人之間進(jìn)行意外的友好談話，我們的人生將會(huì)受到非比尋常的影響。我上大二的時(shí)候?qū)W到了這份改變?nèi)松恼滟F經(jīng)驗(yàn)。

我是芝加哥的一名學(xué)生，兼職當(dāng)服務(wù)員。我工作的時(shí)候，大部分時(shí)間都極少與人真正地交談。我可不是故意這么干的，而是本能如此。從小到大，我一直習(xí)慣了諸如“別和陌生人說話”“別多管閑事”這樣的話。結(jié)果，在工作時(shí)除了點(diǎn)餐以及偶爾閑聊天氣外，我不會(huì)和不認(rèn)識(shí)的人說話。同樣地，我從不會(huì)在一趟三小時(shí)的航班上跟別人打開話題，我也不知道每天和我坐同一趟火車的女人叫什么名字。然而我這種孤僻封閉的狀態(tài)最后以一種改變我人生的方式結(jié)束。

一天晚上，一個(gè)大概80多歲的瘦小老頭走了進(jìn)來，坐在我負(fù)責(zé)的服務(wù)區(qū)里。我為他點(diǎn)了餐，然后繼續(xù)做我的事。后來，我發(fā)覺他一周接一周地來這里并總是坐在我負(fù)責(zé)的其中一張桌子旁。慢慢地，我與我的新客人開始了一些簡(jiǎn)短的對(duì)話。他叫羅杰斯先生，但他堅(jiān)持讓我稱他為唐。我了解到他和妻子以前每個(gè)周六都會(huì)在外共進(jìn)晚餐，并且一起去看電影。自從她去世后，他就獨(dú)自一人繼續(xù)他倆的老習(xí)慣。我開始盼望著他來就餐，告訴我他的電影觀后感。我也記住了他的常規(guī)餐單：半份撒拉三文治，一碗土豆湯，還有一瓶他總是喝不完的銀子彈啤酒。

時(shí)間一周一周地過去，我開始坐下來認(rèn)真地和唐聊天。我們聊關(guān)于他妻子的事，他在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)當(dāng)飛行員的日子，以及他已經(jīng)長(zhǎng)大成人并且搬到外面居住的兒子。后來，我們開始談我的宏圖大志，上學(xué)以及我對(duì)未來的期望。

在遇到羅杰斯先生大概四個(gè)月后，我在家里收到一通護(hù)士打來的電話，說唐正在芝加哥慈愛醫(yī)院接受重癥監(jiān)護(hù)。他做完緊急心臟手術(shù)后出現(xiàn)并發(fā)癥，開始出現(xiàn)內(nèi)出血。我立刻駕車到醫(yī)院看望他。他做的第一件事就是感謝我敦促他來看醫(yī)生。起初我并不明白他說什么。接著我記起大約三周前，唐曾抱怨說胸部疼痛，我就將我認(rèn)識(shí)的一位醫(yī)生的電話給了他。在醫(yī)院里，護(hù)士們經(jīng)常問：“你是他的女兒?jiǎn)?？”我總是回答說：“不是，我是他的服務(wù)員?！?/p>

自從遇到唐后，我明白到陌生人都可以成為熟人，甚至是朋友。我最近發(fā)現(xiàn)自己在餐廳里會(huì)真正地和顧客們交談了。我過得更開心，時(shí)間也過得更快，而且我認(rèn)識(shí)了一些定期會(huì)見到的人。

唐教會(huì)了我要是我與人友好地談話，人生會(huì)變得更加美好。畢竟，我可不只是他的服務(wù)員，我成了他的朋友。

單詞卡片

1.Coors Light 科斯淡啤，銀子彈啤酒

2.intensive care 重癥監(jiān)護(hù)

3.complication n.并發(fā)癥

4.intemally adj. 在內(nèi)，在心中

5.acquaintance n. 相識(shí)，熟人