Strangers in North Carolina don’t say Hi.

In the more distant past, I would not have written this note because I wasn’t aware of whether strangers greeted me. Maybe they did. Maybe they didn’t. Maybe I didn’t. Maybe I wasn’t spending as much time outdoors as I do now, so there were fewer “strangers” in my life.

I’ve just arrived in North Carolina from Southern California, where I spent the last five years. I spent a lot of time outdoors in California — running, hiking, or just walking. This whole topic — whether to say hi or not — isn’t a huge deal, but there’s no doubt that in California, I got used to being greeted by strangers, and of course, I reciprocated. It could be a simple “hi” to a single person or a couple you meet. It might be raising your hand as you pass a fellow runner. Even when you’re hyper-focused on your run or wearing headphones, in most circumstances, you greet the people you meet. You look at them. You wave. You say hi. They do the same.

I thought it was an unfortunate coincidence when the first couple of people I met during my jogs in North Carolina totally ignored my greetings. Ghosted me. But then I understood — it’s a pattern. I went to a local park with my mom as I explored the new area (Apex, near Raleigh), and no one was saying hi. It’s not like the overall environment was any different from what we were used to in California. There were joggers, walkers, dog walkers, people with strollers, and couples of different ages. They just didn’t say hi. Of course, if a place is too crowded, you can’t greet everyone. But during our…