It occurred to me while watching very bad movie: good dialog has a natural flow to it. Bad writing just uses dialog to further your plot points (very naughty to try and play God!). So I decided to take advantage of being on the streets downtown today to eavesdrop on some conversations to see what a natural one actually sounds like.
What I learned was most conversations are trivial, mundane and dull as dirt. Though it’s interesting to realize a lot of what holds us together socially may simply be the connection of having conversations, not necessarily the content.
Don’t know if that observation is particularily useful for me from a literary point of view, but this little gem might be:
Chick asks guy: “What’s your all-time favourite movie ever?”
“Hmm, tough question, what’s yours?”
“Gee, I don’t know…. I don’t even know why I asked that question.”
….silence.
If ever 3 lines could capture the story of a first date gone wrong, there it is. Though what do I know? They wandered out of earshot after that. For all I know the next line could have been:
“So, do you just want to make out then?”
Valerie Roney 
I like the awkward Safeway conversations between two people who are meeting out of context. Like when you run into that waitress that you’re friendly with, but you have nothing to talk about because she hasn’t given you a menu.
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Yes. Oh, wait, was that a fictional question? Now for my unrelated, day ‘rtysomething wanderings:
I have a relative who’s nearly 2 years old. I’m not her favourite person. I’m favoured by some other kids, actually, but it bugs me a bit. I feel a bit guilty, absent and like I’m coming across as not indulgent, out of a misplaced sense of duty. Because I love seeing who kids are with no interference, unless it’s unsafe. I saw her today, along with her mom, someone she’s closer too, and someone who isn’t as fascinated by kids. Unfortunately I see her irregularly, a couple times a month, mostly among several adults, that’s part of it. She’s pretty friendly and easygoing, which does help.
I’m pretty fascinated by kids, and exposure doesn’t dull it. Wow, I’m holding her little soft hand going down the stairs, wow, she’s silently letting me awkwardly try to put her socks on, hmm, how can I keep her in one place slightly longer. We do have good visits when I entertain her in her carseat.
I’m hoping this is just an ebb and that we’ll develop a closer connection in future. Redevelop. I’m also hoping that in future I will get a more acute sense of her as a person… which I had for a while. Maybe it’s brewing below the surface and all my noticing will suddenly click. Or not.
Still a good day.
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I can remember palying with my nephew when he was about 2, he counted on me to take the lead, make up the stories, drive the direction of our play time. He was an avid fan, but I had to do all the work.
A year later and you couldn’t shut him up, he had all kinds of ideas, told all kinds of stories, new exactly what those toys were to do and say. Your little lass is just 2, she doesn’t know who she is yet, and is likely looking to you to see how you respond so she knows how to be. And there you are looking at her to see how she responds to see how you should be.
A very cute and awkward place to be.
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Wow, this is definitely better than journalling! Thanks, dreamy Valerie.
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