When I look out the window, I become green with envy at friends and acquaintances visiting places with temperatures hovering way above the freezing mark. Each year, I vowed to be somewhere warm in February. Each year, I remain standing here and looking at this. With vapors coming out of every smokestack, it is a clear indication that it’s cold out there.
Then I started thinking about the weather and it’s significance in our daily lives whether we love it or hate it. An important role in being a general conversation starter, it especially helps in an awkward moment of silence in an elevator.
I live on the 17th floor of a condo highrise. Most cases, we travel solo. But then there are those moments when you have to share with a neighbor that you hardly know or see. The first thing out of anyone’s mouth is the weather. By the time we finish discussing the pros and cons of the current weather conditions, we’ve reached our floor destination.
It’s not like you would bring up the subject and someone would give you a look like, “I don’t know what you mean. I have no experience in that.” Even my four-year grandson can engage in the conversation. With no political, religious, financial or sporting affiliation, it doesn’t have to reveal anything personal about yourself. It can lead to a wide range of other related subjects. “Going somewhere warm this winter.” “Nice weekend to go up to the lake.” “Time to get those snow tires on.”
Where I live, the weather changes daily so the subject can never become a repetitive description.
The weather. As much as I hate it during this time of year, it comes in handy in the elevator.
theprosaiczoomer 