Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Flirting

So.

I was dining alone at Blackbird this evening, while working on some Java code.

Across from me there were two tables. At one table sat two girls, at the other a guy and two girls. I thought I noticed one of the girls at the first table glancing at me, but I wasn't sure. Anyway, they got up and left eventually.

As I was eating my dessert, I noticed one of the girls at the second table looking in my direction. Eventually I caught her eye and then a smile. Sure enough, she was looking at me. Exciting.

At one point she gets up and goes somewhere - presumably to the ladies. When she comes back she steals a glance in my direction, which I meet with a smile. She continues to steal glances in my direction then reaches for her wallet and gets up again. Her friends notice she has gone. In a few moments she comes back with a packet of cigarettes which she puts in her bag.

We continue stealing glances at each other and during one such moment, I mouth "Pontoon" while gesticulating with my finger in the direction of "Pontoon" the bar. She smiles and nods. Then she gets up again and disappears behind me. 3rd time. I figure I _have_ to get up and follow this time. After a discreet delay I get up too and head in the direction I think she has headed - towards the lavatories. I wait around a few moments, hoping she will appear but when she doesn't I head back to the table. Eventually she returns to her table.

I order another cognac which eventually arrives. The glances and smiles continue, but then I run out of cognac and then my battery runs out. This leaves me in the embarrassing position of not having anything to pretend to be doing.

So, I pull an old tram ticket from my wallet and when I catch her eye again, I slip the ticket under the salt and pepper shaker on the table. She smiles. The only problem - I don't have a pen with which to scribble my name and phone number. No problem. I'll use the pen that the waiter gives me when he brings the bill.

The bill arrives and I hand the waiter my credit card. He returns with the receipt and a pen but instead of leaving the bill for me to sign, he stands in front of me while I sign it. Very unusual for Blackbird, because they usually disappear for ages. I think all the cognac I had been drinking made him nervous that I was going to scarper without paying!

The fact that he is standing around flusters me a bit. So I gesture that I want to speak to him and ask him to see that the tram ticket doesn't disappear from the table until she leaves.

I sign the credit card receipt and hand the receipt and pen back to him. He disappears. I then realise that I haven't written my name and number on the tram ticket

Disaster!

She catches my eye again and I gesticulate with hands raised in exasperation as I search desperately for a pen in my bag. Of course, I don't have one. So I start giggling and she does too.

So I decide there is nothing else for it. I am going to have to say something to her as I leave. I get up and as I walk by her table, I say: "I have only one thing to say: Pontoon.". She says: "Pontoon?". I say "Pontoon", laugh and then leave.

So, I head to Pontoon and wait around for 30 minutes or so, hoping she will appear. Sadly, she doesn't.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lucky escape, dude: you nearly hooked up with a smoker.

5 July 2007 at 21:31  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have to agree with Anonymous above - lucky escape. Either she's strongly addicted to nicotine or too dull to apply the strident warnings on the pack to her personal situation.

Nevertheless, it sounded like a fun time was had by both of you. Unfortunately she had no idea what you meant by 'Pontoon'; you would have been better off saying just 'Hello' rather than something obscure and imperative. She probably doesn't know the difference between pontoon and cartoon, anyway.

Next time, why not try leaving your business card instead? I assume it has your mobile number - and it also works in case she needs some programming done.

8 July 2007 at 19:36  
Blogger Jon Seymour said...

I think it is a very healthy thing that you both agree :-)

Business card. Yes, that would have been a good option, if I made a habit of carrying business cards. I should get some made up: Jon Seymour - Trainee Flirt!

9 July 2007 at 01:16  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Of course you should carry business cards around with you. I always stick 5-10 in my wallet. I don't often hand them out, but it's better than leaving them at home and then being stuck when I need to hand one out.

Also make sure they're in an easy to get place inside the wallet. You don't want to be standing there in front of some hot chick, fumbling with your wallet, saying "I know there are some business cards in here somewhere". You want it to look like you hand out your business card frequently - to men, not to every girl you meet - so it should be a smooth action. Or just keep one in the top pocket of your jacket - it takes 1 second to retrieve and present.

If you want to make up your own, perhaps you should try:

Jon Seymour
Poet
Traveler
Soldier of Fortune

That way girls will be intrigued. But better have some poetry handy, because you're certain to be asked to recite something.

20 July 2007 at 18:16  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

While on the subject of business cards, check out Violin Kid's post on the best way to give your business card away ... use a little sleight of hand ...

www.violinkid.com.

20 July 2007 at 23:42  
Blogger Jon Seymour said...

Very cool - thanks!

21 July 2007 at 01:29  
Blogger Ardorpes said...

yea i agree, dont go with smokers ;)

Glad you enjoyed my post on business card. Let me know if it works for anyone.. i am still waiting for mine to turn up in the mail and try it out :)

14 August 2007 at 21:34  

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