bookstore encounters

Oh yeah. Nothing says "sexy" like random pick-ups at the bookstore. I was at Borders for a few hours today, curled up in an armchair, poring over magazines and Jasper Fforde's "The Big Over Easy" (where is the "italicize font" button in Safari? and what about "edit html" or "compose" viewing mode?? i am sorry for not listening more carefully to Graham's descriptions of using Safari now).

I look up after burning my eyes out over Wallpaper*, the evil evil design mag that costs $9/issue but is so very pretty, and see this random Asian man of indeterminate age (20's? 30's?) walking past. We make eye contact briefly. I blink my poor blurring eyes and return to reading. He continues walking. No big, right?

About fifteen minutes later I am wandering aimlessly in the Romance section, surrounded by lurid jacket illustrations of scantily-clad men and women casting smoldering looks at each other. The place has no apparent system of organization, but I find the varying shades of pastel pink and blue in which romance novels are invariably bound quite soothing. I turn and here is that man walking by again. Suddenly he stops, turns, and comes into my romance aisle, ostensibly to ask me a question.

Man: Hey. I know this is random, but...
J: ?? (confused, mentally preparing to give directions to the nearest BofA atm)
Man: I just wanted to tell you that you are AMAZINGLY cute.
J: ??!?!? Uh...thanks.
Man: My name is J***, by the way. (extends hand)
J: (moment of hesitation; then shakes hand, praying for no communicable disease)...It's nice to meet you?

And then he walked off. Quickly. I think he realized how very random and weird he/the situation appeared. However it was nice to receive a compliment? I'm not complaining!!

The End. I think this was perhaps the highlight of my day. This, and Alex's impression of an indignant Frenchman telling a culturally confused french fry that he does not belong in France.