to make empty chit chat is to ask people to tell you about whatever it says on their t-shirt. Even when they don’t actually know anything about what’s on their shirt, there’ll usually be a story for how they came to have it.

It’s so obvious to anyone with a clue, however, that I find it very annyoing when people use it on me.

In a past life as a door to door political fundraiser, I learned that bumperstickers are very handy for this sort of thing. They will give away the leanings of the people in the house, give you ideas for angles to work on them, etc. Makes me feel dirty just thinking about it.