Main health effects of sleep deprivation (See Wikipedia:Sleep deprivation). Model: Mikael Häggström. To discuss image, please see Template talk:Häggström diagrams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It turns out that your neighbour on the plane/bus/train (or the person sitting at the next table at the coffee shop) is a very, very chatty tourist. Do you try to switch seats, go for a non-committal brief small talk, or make this person your new best friend?

I guess it depends on whether I have a sleep deficit to catch up with. If yes, then I’ll be off to slumber land in a jiffy and nothing can or should prevent me from enjoying a few hours of quiet and contentment away from the noisy pandemonium of everyday living.

If not, then why not? I am polite to a limit. But making this person my new best friend? That’s a stretch. It’ll take more than that, my friend!