I've lost my conversational skills

I don’t know why I remember this, but I do. When I was a little kid (3?) we were out on trapline and my parents were anticipating the arrival of our pilot, who had dropped us of 3 or 4 months before and would be coming soon with our mid-winter mail and stuff. They were talking about the social isolation and how it would be to talk to someone. My mom really missed people and was looking forward to having a conversation with another human. My dad said it didn’t bother him and he didn’t have anything to talk about with Roger (yes, the pilot was Roger… he was like Santa Claus, how could I forget him?). Being a confused dichotomous little kid, I was sure that one of them was right and one of them was wrong, and I waited eagerly for Rogers arrival so I could find out.

When Roger got there my dad talked non stop the whole time he was there. My mom sat in a chair and looked kind of shocked and dazed. I hid behind her legs, and figured they had both lied. How confusing.

Lately I’ve been in and out of civilization. I did a quest in a cave for a week. Then I was around people a little, but not the kind of people who conversed with me. Then I was by the most beautiful river, and I would go to town for the internet, but I didn’t get out of the van or talk to anyone. Then I went to the city to work, and I was so shocked and a little freaked when I went into a strip club and people started talking to me. I got acclimated, and then left the city. Since then I’ve been in and out, back and forth.

Luckily I don’t have to talk to people for long at work. They have about five minutes to spend money on me and then I move on to someone who won’t waste my time.

But I remember when I lived in PA and was in school and advocating for kids and training dogs and working at a club with a champagne hustle (ie, a lot more talking) I could entertain anyone for hours. Now? About five minutes. But I’m not sure if I care.