Sanity is subjective. It depends very much on where you are. I know this because I spend half my time in south London and the other half in the country.
Talking to strangers in the supermarket is fine in Surrey, for instance. In Waitrose, Cobham everyone talks to you. The check-out lady there told me her innermost doubts about the nature of existence the other day, and I had only popped in for a romaine lettuce.

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