Manas Garg Speaks

The boyzone song Words starts like this:

“Smile, an everlasting smile,
a smile can bring you near to me…”

How do you break ice?

There are so many times in our adult lives when we are in a group where no one knows anyone, and you can feel discomfort standing in the air like mild fog. Few people are masters of this situation - they can find friends just anywhere. There always are a few universal topics - however clichéd, they seem to work - Weather, politics, Sachin’s performance in the recent one dayer,  the stock market boom, the USA - its a reasonably long list. A wedding dinner or a journey in the train is a great example where you can observe this happening.

Still more difficult is to break ice with people whom you don’t know at all, and in a formal setup. I found myself in this situation a few days back. I was at this formal buffet, with all places at the table already taken; except the one opposite to where I was sitting. A man, with a plate in hand, stood close by contemplating whether he should take it or not. I knew I was supposed to ask him to sit - by etiquette. I did not know how to address him - ‘Sir’ - nay, he wasn’t that old, ‘Hey’ - nay, he wasn’t that young, then what?

I did this - I just smiled. And he smiled back - instinctively. And without a word being uttered, the ice had already broken.