A: Salutation!
B: Acknowledgement.
A: Enquiry?
B: Effusive praise of new partner!
A: Cute story about pet.
B: My Job/Course/Religion Is Incredibly Hard!
A: Sympathy!
B: Self-pity!
A: Distraction! Aren't all our mutual friends silly?
B: Hearty agreement.
Pregnant pause.
Unison: We Must Talk Again, Real Soon, No This Time We Mean It.