In Lubbock, Texas, small talk is more like a regional art form than a social nicety. It’s a delicate blend of traffic, gossip, and weather, served with a piping side of “How’s your mama?” and “Did your grandpa get that mole looked at?”
Whether you’re shopping at United, watching a Tech game, or standing in line for a turkey leg at the fair, sacred West Texas chit chat is happening all around you.
New to Town?
If you’re new to Lubbock, talking to strangers the way we do might feel a little bit strange. Why did the woman in the waiting room trauma dump on me? Was that old man trying to pick me up in the baking aisle? Does my dentist actually want me to add him on Facebook?
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Relax, It’s Just Talk
To put you at ease, know that these little conversations are completely harmless and actually quite necessary if you want to blend in with the rest of us. We’re extra friendly around here. If you aren’t, we notice, AND we just might mention it to our hairdresser and bus driver. Word travels fast. You’ve been warned!
Here’s a little small talk 101 for anyone new to Lubbock.
It always begins with the weather. “It sure is windy out there today.”, “Boy, we could use some rain.”, and “At least it’s a dry heat!” are all acceptable opening lines when chatting with a stranger.Obligatory traffic laments are VERY important. “I swear, people just don’t stop driving in the far right lane on the Loop! It’s driving me nuts!” is a great way to bond with someone right off the bat and immediately establish you’re on the same team.After covering weather conditions and bad drivers, another commonality we can all get behind is food. “You know who has the best tacos…” followed by a recommendation will get you through the third stage of West Texas chit chat effortlessly. This is also the part in the convo where mentioning a situation with a family member is perfectly acceptable. Anything from “My husband left me last night for our favorite bartender!” to “My son broke his wrist at the football game last night.” will do. Trust me.At this point, the conversation may seem like it’s ready to come to a close, but it’s not. In Lubbock, you’ve got to end the convo at least 3 times before it’s truly over. “You take care now.”, “Have a good one!” and “Alright, I’ll letcha get to it.” are interchangeable, and 9 times out of 10, you’re going to have to use them all if you actually want to walk away.
If you master these small talk techniques, you’ll never be a stranger to anyone in Lubbock. The most important thing to remember is that while the forecast may change, the chit chat never really does. Good luck, and watch out for lonely old ladies and anyone drinking from an Herbalife cup.
Keep scrolling for more silly Lubbock tips and quips in the galleries below…
Top 10 Best (and Worst) Places to Hide During a HaboobI’m usually so glued to Netflix, I don’t even realize when one rolls through town… Gallery Credit: Chrissy 
They don’t even have a show going on tonight.
I mean…how did you even get in there?… 
Wrong.
With random chance comes randomness, and these numbers have all proven to be duds time after time., according to Justgamblers.com Gallery Credit: Renee Raven 
44 is the 5th least lucky number 
