I was walking my dog early this morning and she started playing with another dog. My heart froze as the other dog walker looked at me smiling and said: ‘we’re walking the same way, we can have a natter as they play.’ 

I’m generally bad at small talk… I’m awkward, I’m uncomfortable and I want it to stop. I’ll pretty much do anything to avoid it, in fact. 

But here’s the thing, this doesn’t mean I dislike people. They fascinate me, that’s half of the reason I write. 

But I can’t stand the surface ...