"It was a bright August morning and I had the shop all to myself. Since my wife
and I were staying nearby, we'd driven past the place before on the way to town.
To tell the truth, from the look of it, I'd decided it was best avoided. But
this morning, I'd decided to go against my snap judgments. Besides, I needed a
little break. So as an exercise, I thought I'd go out for a walk and strike up a
conversation with strangers as the opportunity appeared. This required an effort
to go against my usual tendency. To be candid, the idea of approaching strangers
stirred up a little anxiety. So I thought I'd start with a shopkeeper. It wasn't
going so well."
In this quiet, beautifully written piece, art magazine editor, Richard
Whittaker shares the story of a day of unexpected encounters, and the riches
that sometimes reveal themselves when we withhold conclusion.
