Lucky Beads

‘Hey, what is it that you are holding in your hand?’

‘None of your business.’

Her lucky charm beads attracted the attention of everyone in the street. She got this same question every day from different people. She did not want people to ask about it. She did not know how to respond. She was using it to be better able to talk to people. She had never been good at initiating conversations with people and she wanted a way out of it. Then, she read on the internet that these beads make people talk to you. She thought this was a good way of getting rid of the stress of initiating conversations with people. But now, all she got was this question every day.

She passed the guy who asked the question today with a frown on her face and with short and fast steps, looking down. Just as she thought she had filled the quota of the question for today, a woman asked her the same question. But this woman knew a bit more.

‘Is it the lucky charm beads? I had those once.’

She did not know how to respond but the woman continued.

‘You know they definitely work. People started talking to me more.’

‘But they still don’t talk to me.’

‘Really? No one asked what these beads are? That is strange, since they definitely attract a lot of attention.’

‘Oh they did ask that. Like you did.’

‘What else are you looking for? That is how they start the conversation and you can continue by telling them what they are and boom, you find yourself chatting about other stuff too. These beads are not magical, honey, they are just too attractive to ignore.’

She smiled and left. She knew she was going to give a proper answer to the person that asked her about the beads next time.