Face-to-face communication learned 70 years late

“One-to-three words at a time,” I thought to myself; “followed by a three-to-four second pause.”
Maybe that way my attempt at striking up a conversation won’t bomb. People love to talk, but getting started with a complete stranger is a struggle.
I was walking my dog yesterday along Lehigh Valley Rail-Trail, and two earlier attempted conversation strike-ups struck out.
There was a guy riding a bicycle. “What?” he exclaimed.
Next were three ladies on bicycles. I sailed right over their heads.
There also was a jogger I avoided. Don’t interrupt!
“You keep going..... (pause),” I said to my last contact; ”and you’re walking into..... (pause)“ “ a lot of mosquitos.” (She was walking her dog.)
I coulda said “mosquito-city,” which bombed with bicycle-guy.
Don’t use figures of speech. They always need to be explained.
Not with my wife. She was used to ‘em, and wanted to figger out what I said.
Now she’s gone, and I hafta learn verbal communication.
Talk too fast or use a figure-of-speech to strike up a conversation and neither work.
And striking up conversations is always worth it. The person smiles that he-or-she was recognized.