Chatty-Cathy?

I wish I was a better conversationalist. When I'm sitting with friends or people that I know, I'm more than fine with chatting, telling stories, listening to others talk, asking questions, etc. But I'm so bad at that "small talk". I'm not one to talk while waiting in line, sitting on an airplane, standing in a crowd. I don't know if it's because I'm too shy or I just like the quiet or I don't know what to say. Probably a combination of all three. There are some people who are so good at this though. I wish I could be more like that. Today, for example, I was standing in line waiting to bard the plane in SF and there guy net to me asked me if I knew who they had called to board. I told him and we got to talking about how we both almost missed our flights, about why we were going to DC, I found out that he was in the army and was going to report for duty at his base, what it's like to be military and get special perks, etc. The conversation continued through the line with discussions about how people just don't know how to properly get on and off planes, how they need to do a better job with packing because they ended up having to check so many carry-ons, etc. This twenty-minute conversation with a lovely individual that happened all because he asked an innocent question. I guarantee that if I had asked someone, they would have answered and I wouldn't have anything to follow up with. I need to really do a better job with being more open to talk to people- strangers- because who knows who I might meet if I do...