Social obligation, that is the notion of being required to do anything more than have a nice talk over a granola bar or cup of coffee, doesn’t rear its ugly head. There’s no obligation. Just folks. Travelers, maybe, if some think of it in that conscious sort of way. Romantics might think it. But folks anyway, just going someplace in a car or on a bike, or hitching, though I don’t know anyone personally who’s done that. There’s no requirement in the social bits of travel. Nothing exchanged but stories, tips, simple greetings and goodbyes. Or nothing, as there might not be a thing to say. No scheduling to it or time to think too much. A moment’s come and gone.
Politeness. Politeness and kindness where one can give it. I’ve met with a lot of kindness that surprised me every time. Kindness of the moment’ll do a hell of a lot more than an expectation to keep in touch. Don’t expect that of no one and that’s that.
There’s intuition as funneled through the gut. The gut knows about people. Good people, not so good. Some part of getting out there is maybe knowing what’s bad and doing it anyway, but these days I don’t go in for that thinking. It’s not wise far as I can tell.
Quietness out there. It’s that, I think. A mostly quiet sort of experience, punctuated with the little talks, and little hellos and smiles, and then little partings. The kind of being with people that doesn’t break a man.