Plane rides with teammates features the potential for a mixed bag of comedy, monologues and therapy sessions. And none of us have any control over it.

It happens off 747’s. The backseat of a Lyft line can either be extremely awkward or entertaining and educational because we can learn something from a stranger.

Or we can learn when to just sit back and let someone wail.

In this situation, I have long deferred to the occasional audible imprint to showcase my rapt attention. It takes no effort and usually can suffice by just finding a phrase and repeating it.

The monotony soothes the speaker, fooling them into believing that you’re fully engaged. That this full-fledged story that you have provided is truly worth my attention.

Because we each know that it’s not. It’s not anything someone would approach a complete stranger with, even if it was Tuesday Night Tacos at a sweet Mexican restaurant hidden in plain sight.

And if you wouldn’t say it there…

But while this rant may sound like opposition to incidental interaction with other adults, it’s exactly the opposite. That freedom to speak freely to one another needs to remain, regardless if the opposing party isn’t fully engaged and just stringing you along.

There’s a certain grace to a person that’s just willing to listen.