Back then, a long time ago— in my discomfort with strangers, conversations, and reality— I would pull out my phone and stare down to indicate the conversation is over, and slowly place my AirPods back in: You a real ass woman and I like it/ I don’t wanna fight it. That was before, when people lived in my phone and I can escape into their curated updates instead of facing unfiltered reality. I don’t have such options now. Instead I dig into my reservoir of topics-with-strangers which has grown exponentially over the years with practice and ask her, “Where are you going?” It delights me how simple it is to have a conversation with random people