Last time I was in Holmfirth, about six years ago, during one of my many meals at the Wrinkled Stocking, Dennis and I were chatting, and he said that he'd really rather be working as a tattoo artist. He must have come around to Jackie's point of view for them to be expanding the cafe.
Is talking with strangers considered unusual in the UK? I'll chat with anyone who seems to be open to it, and usually I learn something new. One of my favorite photography tutors, a man from near Cardiff, teases me about it. Whenever he's seen me talking with someone outside the group he's leading, he'll say, "Talking to strangers again!" He probably have really been shocked if he had seen me at breakfast in a pub/B&B in Mirfield. I had just come down from my room when a large group of tough-looking motorcyclists arrived. I had a train to catch and couldn't wait for them to leave, so I took the last remaining place at a table where one of the bikers was sitting by himself. He greeted me civilly, so I got into conversation with him. He was interesting! In hindsight, I wouldn't have missed that conversation for the world.