To make light.

Today I went shopping at the Irvine Spectrum and I haven't been there in years.

That is beside the point.

I was walking with my baby and I ran into a grandpa with his grandchild.

When you become a first time parent, you tend to engage in conversation with strangers more, especially if you're with your child, particularly strangers with babies/kids as well.

We have some small talk about my baby. His grandchild. His other grandchild. How his grandchild has his Irish skin tone. How his daughter was a junkie before she met a good man. How his daughter had invitro. What type of stroller I have. What type of stroller he's using. Etc, etc.

He's from New York and was visiting his daughter.

Then we start talking about all the natural disasters that took place over the week.


Grandpa: I was just in the Philippines the day before the typhoon came.

Me: Oh really?

Grandpa: Yeah. Then I went to Vietnam. The day after I left there to come here, the other typhoon hit.

Me: (Jokingly) Wow. Everywhere you go something bad happens. I should leave Irvine, huh?

Grandpa: (Laughter) I think you should before I stir up something else.

Me: I know. Well I'm actually not from here.

Grandpa: Oh yeah? Where are you from.

Me: I'm from ----.

Grandpa: Well, you're safe then.

Good night! Good shopping.