Janet
You're right. I can find rudeness while shopping, but these same people you can pass on the street and you'll wind up having a drawn out conversation. lol
I remember when we first moved to this little town. Complete strangers would strike up conversations with us all of the time. While surprised, I recognized it for what it was small town hospitality, but husband and the kids it actually shook up for a while. Still does although they've become quite used to it. As a child I grew up in a city, but Gramma tended to stay around the small towns. husband and the kids had always lived in a large city so had never experienced it.
But get 'em in a grocery store and it can be a whole different matter. sigh
Although we have this one elderly gentleman. I don't think he has any family living near him. Sweetest man you could ever hope to meet. easy child first met him working at Ponderosa. But this man roams the town (probably out of boredom or lonliness) and chats with people, but his favorite thing to do is to think up cute little jokes. Often he has homemade props. We always get a laugh and make a point to have a conversation with him. The grands think he's wonderful and always love his jokes. (all innocent by the way) He likes to make people smile.
But I've heard people comment that he is weird or out of his mind or senile. While the man is probably sharper than all of them put together.