Small Talk

118 . the fine art of small talk
cues. For instance, ask what he does for a living. Follow
up with questions about what that kind of job entails
and how he got into it. Become the host and attend to his
comfort. This will allow you to slow down the conversation.
Eventually you’ll ease into a nice rhythm, a backand-forth
volley with the conversational ball.
THE BRAGGART
This convict made his way onto the Most Wanted
list by executing a series of conversational mass murders
in almost every state. He frequently appears during periods
of self-disclosure. He will boast of his accomplishments,
embellish the truth, and brag about feats mighty
and small in a very self-aggrandizing manner. He usually
makes no attempt to go incognito, so arrogant is he. His
goal is to gain status in the eyes of those in attendance, so
he welcomes an audience. The bigger the group, the
more bravado he feels. He has been known to kill multiple
conversations with a single appearance.
His trademark is that he will always relate all of his
accomplishments. He made a killing in the stock market.
He’ll tell how he outwitted the financial experts by
choosing a long shot that paid off big. Of course, his son