How to make a stranger's day

Yesterday, I had just left the gym wearing my "Haole" shirt when this smiling guy stops me on the street and asks me what it means. He's got this great accent that sounded Italian. We start chatting and he says, "You are so bee-yoo-tee-ful. I like your color." I was like, "My color?" He says, "Yes, I am dark, and you are dark too (I think he meant tan), and your hair is so natural, not dyed like so many women with those light and dark streaks like skunk, I cannot stand that." He then tells me he goes to Equinox too, and asks me if I go to the killer hour-and-a-half yoga class, and says how hard it is, and then shows me this New York Times article he's reading and points to the pictures of a farm and says, "Look how nice, all this nature and animals. I would like that." I have to admit the guy's chatty friendliness was starting to grow on me.

He ends with, "I would like to give you my number." I laugh and say, "How many women a week do you give your number to, anyway?" which I thought was funny but the look on his face was hurt, so I felt bad. So I explained how my old roommate Gary in Hell's Kitchen was a master at picking up women on the street and how he came home with a phone number almost every day. Cesar, which was this guy's name, told me, "When I see someone who I think is bee-yoo-tee-ful, I tell her, because life is short, so why not tell her?" which I thought was sweet, so I took his number. He waved goodbye with a big smile and a "Ciao." I thought to myself, "What a cool guy. That must have taken some balls."

In the meantime as this conversation was taking place, behind me leaving the gym was another guy. He had caught up and heard us talking. As I parted ways with Cesar, he was now walking beside me. I said to my fellow gym rat, "I've never even met that guy before. That was so flattering." He replied, "I heard some of what he said. He did seem nice." I told him, "I wish guys would do that more often. Why don't they?"

And he told me, "It's really hard to approach a woman and just start talking. Actually, I wish women would approach me more often!" I asked him, "Wouldn't that seem kind of slutty or desperate if a woman just walked up to you and said, "I find you really handsome, here's my number?" He laughed and assured me just the opposite was true. "Are you kidding? I would love it if a woman did that! Women should do that more often!" So what do I know about men? Obviously not as much as I thought.

So ladies, the next time you see a guy you want to meet, keep in mind that he probably would love it if you just introduced yourself and gave him your number. And guys, don't be afraid to take the Cesar approach, we love it. And whether or not the person calls you, you can be assured that if nothing else, you've definitely made their day a little brighter.