Brief encounters

AT CONFERENCES, wakes, and office parties with outside guests, one can bump into long lost acquaintances, barely remembering their faces which have changed their shapes.

- By Tony Samson

The safest greeting seems to be a kind of pleasant surprise at this unexpected encounter. No details need to be given to show proof of familiarity, not even the name. (Hey, there.)

“Long time, no see” is an awkward phrase used often enough in brief encounters where there is not much else to say. This neutral greeting is handy when searching for something more interesting to talk about — have you been following the flood stories? It’s also helpful when neither greeter remembers the other’s name.

What is this amazement at the lapsed time since last seeing someone else mean? The cited separation is seldom the result of forced exile. It’s just an incident of having different schedules and meeting places.

Noting an unintended social separation is seen as an expression of fondness. (Has it been since the COVID shutdown?) This is followed by a recollection of the last meeting with blurred details. Of course, the expression of delight can be sincere, especially if the absence is from a health issue now in the past.

There are valid reasons why two parties have not seen each other for a while.