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June 8, 2026

The civic and cultural record.

Sam's Corner

A stranger is a person whose name has not come over yet.

Sitting With People I Don't Know

Sam explains strangers, benches, waiting rooms, and the careful civic practice of sitting much closer than the available chairs require.

By Sam, Sam's Corner Correspondent

SAM'S CORNER - Published June 8, 2026 at 10:10 AM CDT

Sam calmly smiles while sitting too close to a stranger on a public bench.
The Juliard illustration generated from Sam reference photography.

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Hello. My name is Sam.

Today I will explain sitting with people I don't know.

A person I don't know is called a stranger. Stranger does not mean bad. It means their name has not come over yet.

Sometimes a stranger is sitting down. Sometimes I am also in the place where sitting down is happening. When that happens, I look for a seat that is close enough for the seat to know I am serious.

I do not sit on the stranger. That would be two people trying to be one chair, and chairs are not built for that kind of honesty.

I sit beside the stranger.

Sometimes I sit beside the stranger even when there are other places to sit. This is because a bench with too much empty room can begin to think it is alone.

Here are some examples from my life.

These are places where I sat near people whose names I did not know yet. I smiled calmly so the chair would understand that everything was normal.

Sam smiling calmly while sitting too close to a stranger on a bus bench.
The bus bench. The woman had selected one end of the bench. I selected the part right beside her because the bench was long and needed a middle. We both faced the road, which gave us a subject.
Sam sitting close to a stranger in an airport gate waiting area.
The airport gate. The man had a rolling suitcase, which is a tiny house with a handle. I sat next to him so we could both be near the same future airplane.
Sam smiling in a diner booth while seated too close to strangers.
The diner booth. A booth is a small room made of seat. The people already had one side. I used the other side. Nobody asked me to explain syrup, but I was ready.
Sam sitting too close to a stranger in an office lobby.
The waiting room. The stranger was reading a magazine without trusting it fully. I sat close enough that we were both inside the same appointment weather.
Sam sitting close to strangers in backyard folding chairs.
The party chair. People at parties make circles with chairs. I joined the circle by improving its density. This helped the party remember it was a group.
Sam calmly smiling while sitting too close to a stranger on a museum bench.
The museum bench. A stranger and I looked at a quiet wall together. I sat near him because art is easier when people share the silence and keep their knees in a reasonable area.

There are many kinds of close.

There is too close for a grocery line. There is too close for an elevator. There is too close for a bench, which is the kind I am talking about today.

When I sit with a stranger, I give the stranger room for their own thoughts. Some of that room can be above the head. Some of it can be on the other side of the armrest. It does not all need to be between our pants.

The stranger may look at a phone. The stranger may look at the floor. The stranger may move one chair over, which is how some people say thank you for explaining the first chair.

I stay calm.

I am not trying to become best friends. Best friends have names, birthdays, and sometimes a group text. I am simply sharing the sitting place until the sitting place is finished.

Then one of us gets up and leaves.

That is sitting with people I don't know. I hope you find your corner of the sky.

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