Random as Random gets

Okay.
This is going to sound a tad bit familiar to our Coffee Fellowship bunch readers. But unlike Stan's potential coffee romance, I got my own not-so-romantic/funny encounter at work today.

So, at my office, there's an acquaintance that I made about a year ago - we never really talk, and our conversation usually never exceeds over 30 seconds.

Today, I bumped into him three times (Let's refer to him as Mr. X as to avoid pronoun confusion).

First, nothing but the usual - brief, 'Konnichiwa', a nod, a smile and then back to work.

The second time was when I was showing pictures from my cellphone to the lady at the convenience store downstairs; I often go chat with her on my breaks, and she's one of the people that would brighten my day - especially on a rainy weather like today. And then, just as I was excitedly telling her about my brother's visit in Fukuoka not a long ago, Mr. X shows up, taking a pack of mint and lines up in back of me. And, as we both headed back up, the conversation evolved around my brother, and actually exceeded 30 seconds. Wow. Record.

But are you ready for Japanese Randomness that follows?

Okay.

(I will share another Random Conversation Starter after this one, it's priceless...)

15 minutes later.
I am back at my desk, replying Hiukei's email, while preparing for my English Club.
Mr. X suddenly shows up - he rarely comes - and then walks to my desk.
Mr. X: Hi...!
Me: Hi...?
Mr. X: So, I have a question I want to ask you...
Me: ...?
Mr. X: ... So, do you use WORD?
Me: (while having trouble to figure out what he was implying... WORLD? WORD? WARD?...) W-O-R-D?
Mr. X: Yeah, do you use it?
Me: (still confused, but trying hard to understand the purpose of his question) Yes... I... use Word. I think. Ahem...
Mr. X: So, you use WORD to type?
Me: (I'm getting more confused as the conversation carried on. Yes, i do use it! do i? wait, what?) Yes, I... uh, I do.
And then there's a bit of a pause. My supersivor, sitting across from me, let out a little laugh. I didn't know what that was suppose to mean. And he waited. As if I was suppose to eagerly say something else after this.
Me: (trying VERY hard not to let this end on an awkward note) Oh, yeah! I, uh, I can type English, Japanese, Chinese... on Microsoft Word. (hurries over to my WORD and opening a new document) ... Like, this... see?
Mr. X: Ohh... mm hmm. I see.
Another pause.
And, just when I thought that this was it, I kind of slightly turned my head, getting ready to get back to work, he decided to bring our conversation to a next level.



...........




Mr. X: So. Do you use EXCEL?
Me: ................

And - it went on for a few minutes, we then skipped over to my new computer, then back to EXCEL, and how I DON'T use Excel (but other Canadians do!)... and just... Random as Random gets.

I suppose talking about Computer Software is a great conversation starter ...?
Stan? Yao? Jung?

Alright, I'm going back to work.....
in my WORD!
(hehehe...)