surveys LA-style

So I managed to escape the Icelandic winter for a few weeks, and am currently enjoying the sunshine and palm trees in Los Angeles, on a visit to a university in the city. A wierd thing happened to me here the other day. I was on my way back home, waiting to cross a road when I was stopped by a young man who asked me if I would mind answering a few questions for a survey. I agreed, wondering if I should point out that I don't live in LA, so any questions about shopping habits and the like wouldn't be very relevant. So, here's my first question, he said. What do you think is distinctive about my appearance? Rather taken back, I floundered for a while, my mind totally blank. I find nothing distinctive about your appearance seemed a cruel thing to say. Oh, just say anything, he prompted. Eventually I managed, rather feebly, your hair? Fortunately he didn't seem too offended. He moved on to his other three questions. What do you think of the environment? Do you believe in past lives? What do you think people can do to make the world a better place? I answered the questions, trying to work out whether he wanted to chat me up, convert me to Buddhism, or convince me to recycle more often. Apparently none of the above. He just wrote down my answers and moved on. Another of life's little mysteries.