Conversational Challenge (Day 3)

So with only having met one person yesterday (I was invited out to a restaurant mid-task and forgot, conveniently, to approach people there) I made myself a strong cup of coffee and set to the task.
The cast (in order of appearance) was Susie...Caroline...Alexander and Axel!
In the end it was strangely easy in a, for me, uncomfortable way. A lot like doing a forward roll. Easy to start, then suddenly hard to get to the crunch point and with a mighty heave passing the point of no return emerging surprised and satisfied on the other side.
The easy part in starting was made easier by a lady called Susie, vacationing in Berlin for the summer from California. She was refreshingly happy to chat to me and we managed a lively conversation together about our experiences in Berlin and about language learning in particular.
But afterwards and sensing the whiff of my own anxiety I made off to buy a JD Salinger book and left with all the fear pigeons home to roost. A perambulating statue with pigeon poo on my head.
With effort though I plucked up enough courage to speak to a girl called Caroline. At this point I was glad to have borrowed Remi's socks as I had run out this morning and would have had to come out bare foot.
She told me about her work as a translator and about her arts and social welfare project, and her patience led me back up the garden path somewhat. I realised at this point how my nervousness was making my co-conversers nervous too, and resolved to enjoy myself more and help my impromptu companions be more at ease.
We made pleasant farewells and off I walked.
And I happened upon Alexander Schmidt, who engagingly revealed himself to be a Life Coach, and ambassador of fear fighting! He was intrigued by my task and found what I was doing inspiring. He is hoping to run coaching classes in the nearby area. I hope to go along and perhaps also collaborate. And as you might expect, talking with him helped tempt my fear falcon down to the ground.
And feeling good in what I had achieved I allowed myself to finally relax and floated back down Immanuelkirsch Strasse towards my temporary abode. Close to home I happened upon a tall bearded man with sunglasses and headphones on.
Almost laconically, I engaged him in a small conversation. Axel, a pastry chef. He was the last person I chatted to and it was easier as I was no longer feeling nervous. In his mirrored glassy gaze I was happy to look at myself chatting away and as I turned away as he departed for work I gave myself a little hug.
I don't really want to anaylse why I feel so anxious to approach people as the reason I suspect is "because I am". I have let my fearlessness flag fall down the pole in recent times, and what you don't do you lose.
Angst had been on the menu dear reader, but anything but spoon fed-up I feel good to have sampled some of life's delicacies today. It leaves me wanting to do it again. It seems to have a life of its own, a momentum. Like in a forward roll, you can feel the tug of it, pulling you through to the end.
Watch this space as tomorrow I take on a new challenge, and keep up my strict diet of a Fear-a-Day.