Exactly Charmion! I find, now that I'm elderly, benign-looking and (I hope) with a kindly face, no end of folk talk to me wherever I go. They start with the weather, then one or two polite questions, then out tumble their health problems, worries, family disputes, loneliness and so on.
I adore chatting, and try to encourage them to tell me whatever they wish. I have all the time in the world.
I learn such a lot doing this, about how people view the world, their joys and difficulties and so on.
I particularly like talking to folk from other lands and other cultures. I got chatting to an Algerian security guard called Yassin, and each time we went to the Nike store where he worked, he told us a little more about his family and his country (all in French - he had an excellent accent, better than mine which is a bit African-singsong)
It was obvious he was terribly homesick and sad, missed his mum and sisters, missed the sunshine etc.
I like to try and lift people's spirits in a small way.