Nobody expects to have more than a 30-second chat with someone they pass on the street or stand behind in line. I’ve always appreciated the serendipity of the situations that turn into much longer conversations.

To me, elderly people are the most interesting to hold conversations with. Sometimes they feel irrelevant in today’s world. Asking how their day is going can come as a shock to them, but they will answer — whether things are just fine or completely horrible.

I’ve had one of those revealing encounters, but it’s crazy because I never caught the man’s name. He was a worn out 60-something, whom I’d asked for directions to an art gallery. He proceeded to tell me how much he missed his wife, who died years ago. He reflected on how they spent time together reading the newspaper.

After all that time, he’d still catch himself running into the other room once in a while to tell her his favorite joke from the funny papers.

“We used to just laugh and laugh,” he said.

I tried to be as supportive as I could and assured him, “She’s up there and she’s still laughing. I have no doubt about that.”

With a wide grin, he nodded his head in agreement.

After that, I started to think about how it was before there were cell phones to distract us. If you stood in line to see a movie or sat in the waiting room at a doctor’s office, you would most likely strike up a conversation with someone. Today, people are so concerned about keeping tabs on friends who aren’t with them that they become oblivious to the people right next to them.

In moments when you would whip out your phone to send a text or snap a picture, you can choose to step back and absorb what’s around you.

Conversations should never be forced, but if they happen, let them. Whether it’s advice or a confession, most people just want to be heard. At the same time, our words can alter someone’s mood or life without us even knowing it.

“I appreciate you taking the time to let me talk,” the man said to me before I walked off.

Little did he know, I really appreciated the opportunity to listen.

Kayman Whaley is an intern at The State News. Reach her at k.whaley@statenews.com.