Turbulent_End_9166's journey

I recently attended a conference where I had an interesting encounter that could potentially lead to a new opportunity. About ten years ago, I interned at Company X while pursuing my graduate degree. During my internship, I worked closely with an employee who is still with the company. After finishing my studies, I relocated to a different state and have since made some strides in my career. At the conference, I had the chance to present my work, and to my surprise, the same employee approached me during the reception. He expressed how impressed he was with my progress and asked several questions about my interest in returning to the home state where Company X is located. He seemed genuinely interested in my work and hinted that he would love to see me back in that area. I'm really intrigued by the idea of returning to Company X and my home state, but I'm uncertain about the next steps. It felt like he was hinting at a potential opportunity, but there was no formal offer made. I'm contemplating whether I should reach out to him to express my interest or if I should wait to see if he has any plans for retirement that might open up a position. Any advice on how to navigate this situation would be greatly appreciated!