Residents beware, there is someone lurking about in your town, asking questions and taking names and in this case, photos.
    Who is this mysterious, nosy individual? It’s me, out and about, collecting bits of insight into people’s lives for the Sentry’s Street Talk feature. While I approach each installment of Street Talk with a bit of apprehension because of uncertainty over how people will react to the question, I am always intrigued by people’s responses and when I say response, I am not necessarily referring to the answer they give.
    The most common reactions I get after explaining my reason for hanging about is, “Oh, I always wondered how the paper came up with (Street Talk).”
    Most of these people say they enjoy reading what their neighbors have to say, but they don’t want their neighbors to know what they have to say.
    Often, I am surprised at the eloquent answers people compose on the spot, although our limited space does not allow for the answers to be reprinted in their entirety. I am envious of those who can produce bits of wisdom on their way to work, after a day of work or while rushing in between errands. I on the other hand often find it difficult to compose complete sentences when I’m tired or hungry. I’ve even encountered people who will answer the question, walk away and then come back and say, “Actually, here’s what I really think.”
    When a Street Talk question doesn’t seem worthy of answering, people let me know. With the arrival of summer, I tried to come up with some lighthearted questions such as, “What Maine destination would you recommend to a tourist?” Not everyone appreciated such questions, however, and some said if I had asked about the president, they would have been ready and willing to give their point of view. On the other side of the spectrum, there were people who would give a sly smile and shake their head without a word if a question involved politics.
    Perhaps some of the most entertaining responses have come after my request to take an individual’s picture. Many people give great answers, but then refuse to have their picture taken. When I first started doing Street Talk, I understood their hesitation, but now I see it’s not so bad to have your picture in the paper and it can make you a local celebrity.
    Some people, however, don’t want to be local celebrities. This is because they claim to be criminals, hiding from the law. I should probably be nervous about the frequency with which I receive this response, but it is usually pretty easy to distinguish between people who are being funny and those who I should back away from. To my knowledge, no hardcore criminals have appeared in that part of the paper.
    I look forward to hearing the next round of creative responses. Consider yourself warned: I’ll be out there, asking for your opinion. Feel free to make up an alias if you like.