By Abe Villarreal

Maybe I was born in the wrong generation, but I still like to talk to people. People I know and people I don't know. Talk to someone when placing an order. Talk to someone when picking up my groceries. Talk to someone when paying for my morning coffee. Talk to someone when I need help.

I know I'm better off asking the butcher for the finest cut of meat, rather than reading a review online or clicking a picture on an app. The butcher knows what's best for me.

When I'm looking for cilantro in the produce section at the store and the shelf looks empty, I like to ask the stocker if she can go "to the back" to check if there is more. Sometimes there is, and it's always worth asking.

The last time I had my tires replaced, I had a great conversation with the tire guy about the quality of tires and what would last me the longest. He really knew his stuff and he was passionate about cars and about driving. That made me feel good about my purchase. I like to talk to people who enjoy what they do.

I was at a Mexican restaurant recently and the cook told me about his burritos and tacos. How he makes them and why they are the best in town. He said his uncle owned the franchise and that he almost closed his doors last year. It was the toughest year on record, but he knew he had to keep on going. I'm glad he told me all this. It made me want to eat there again and again. To help him keep on going.

One of the best conversations I recently had was with a food truck owner at one of the town plazas. It was a cool and breezy afternoon just as the fall season arrived, and we were enjoying quesadillas with green chile outside his small and humble food truck. He told me how he stole his cook from another restaurant and other funny stories about growing his business.

I enjoyed that conversation, and I remember it. It was the kind of talk I could never have with the DoorDash guy.

Society is advancing. That's what I read about all the time. Modernization is a good thing. We can get things done without interactions, without saying hello or goodbye. We can accomplish so much without "dealing" with other people. Click here, get it there. The computer in your hand will guide you to what you need. It knows more about you than you know about yourself. You get what you want fast and when you want it, and that's all that matters.

I'm nervous about a future neighborhood, a community of tomorrow, filled with neighbors who don't know each other. A time and place where people look familiar yet are unfamiliar. You see them, but you've never heard them.

When I lived in Silver City, I was a regular at Daylight Donuts, a hometown donut shop. I stopped by for a donut and coffee, not just for the delicious sweets with different flavored toppings, but because the owner Mike always seemed happy to see me. I know he was like that with all his customers. He asked me how my day was going, and what I had coming up at work.

The next time I saw him, he was just as interested. I learned a lot about Mike and his family with those short counter conversations. He learned about me, too. That made the trips to Daylight Donuts worth it. He was my neighbor, living in the same town, and he was a good guy, not just a donut guy, but a good community guy.

The more I talk to others, the more they talk to me. The more we get to know each other. The more I can rely on someone when I need help. The more the place we live in is connected, not digitally, but in a much more important way. That's what happens when we talk to each other. Keep on talkin'.

Abe Villarreal writes about the traditions, people, and culture of America. He can be reached at abevillarreal@hotmail.com.