The annual John Johnson Lake Tanneycomo fishing trip is looming on the horizon. I always enjoy it.

Each year my friend John goes through tremendous work and effort so that he may bring together a collection of friends he has made over the years from basically all over the place.

John’s a personable guy and he has lots of friends. Not all go each year. There’s usually around 20-ish each trip. But inevitably each year there’s always someone new that I have the opportunity to become friends with.

Ah, but “therein lies the rub” as William Shakespeare’s Hamlet famously said.

Unfortunately for them, all my new friends have to endure what has become known as the “interrogation.”

One thing John always does is write up a boat-buddy assignment list each morning to ensure everyone gets to know everyone else during that particular trip. Thusly it also ensures that eventually the new guys will get into my boat for at least one morning or afternoon.

Funny deal, but I’m actually an introvert by nature. However, I also must be more curious than the next guy about how someone came to be who he is.

That probably has a lot to do with being raised by my newspaper dad and also of making a profession in the newspaper business. It’s all I’ve known.

I always admired the way my dad could politely visit with strangers and quickly discover common ground.

It takes me a little while longer than it does him. I suppose I need to have a captive audience to build up traction. In this situation, the only other option for them was the cold rushing water of Tanneycomo.

I’m guessing there’s a little “overkill” involved on my part as well.

When one of my “victims” gets into my boat, we get through the formalities of “who, what, when, where and why,” which are the five basics of good journalistic interviewing, fairly quickly.

Fishing requires quite a bit of energy and talk regarding the pursuit at hand, which is putting fish in the boat; but inevitably, there’s time for talk about other things as well.

I guess I must be uncommonly to the point with those other things.

One very nice semi-retired and successful man from Edmond, who shall remain nameless, upon escaping my boat from a day of “visiting,” remarked to John something to the tune of: “Lordy, by the time we pulled back into the dock, he knew everything about me except my bank account numbers and underwear size!”

I consider that a compliment.

I also consider it a compliment to John that none of his friends are blow-hards and outwardly self-centered. Some folks need to be drawn out. They all lead interesting lives, are good people and come from good people.

It’s a perfect example in that little annual weekend gathering of what makes America great, in my humble opinion.

It also comes from being raised in southwest Oklahoma.

When I was in college at OU, I had a friend from Boulder, Colo., come to Hollis with me for a weekend of dove hunting.

Once we were in Harmon County traveling the roads, with every vehicle we met, I put my hand up in a casual hello wave in response to the one I was also receiving.

That’s just what you do down there. Still is, as far as I know. It’s a laid-back friendly place.

Anyway, my friend asked me: “Do you know all these people? How come you wave to them all?”

I just told him that’s what we did down there. I was actually surprised to learn that’s not a common thing in Colorado. I have since learned it’s not so common in many areas of America.

I’m not a regular world traveler, but I’ve been to many places in the U.S.A. and overseas over the years.

I still say “Hello” in a polite greeting to strangers while entering businesses and walking along sidewalks.

Some people give back a similar greeting. Others ignore me. Others look at me as if I escaped from the insane asylum.

I’m not changing my ways. It’s the way I was raised and I think friendliness and hospitality to strangers is a good thing.

A few years back, one little girl at one of my son’s school events came up to me and asked: “How come you smile all the time?”

I asked her if she would rather I not.

“No,” she said. “I was just wondering why you are being so nice to everyone.”

I had to wonder what that little girl’s home life was like.

Or, maybe I do need to re-think my standard operating procedure.

Nah! Too late for that.