And That, My Friends, Is That

11:30 p.m., North Avenue bus. Theresa notices cute guy, and fueled by the good mood induced from excellent improv comedy at Second City, bonding with hostellers from Kansas and Switzerland, sharing a pint of cider with her friend Rory, and the general euphoria from listening to her current favorite one-hit wonder, Angels & Airwaves, she decides to tell the guy he's good looking. Compliments are never amiss, especially at midnight on the Thursday on the bus.

Luckily he gets off at the same stop, so she cups her hands: "Hey!"
He doesn't turn around.
"Hey you!"
Now he looks over.
"YOU'RE CUTE!"
They down walk opposite sides of the same street.
"I was thinking the same thing about you," he shouts.
"Really?!? You're probably not single, though."
"Probably not."
"Well, good night!"

And then he commences to walk away.

Still. A compliment given; a compliment received.

Update 10/15:
The story doesn't end there. Fact of the matter is, because we were shouting across the street, blocked by cars and vans, and because his answer was a bit off (who really says 'probably not' when they mean they're not single? I mean, really?),t I determined to try something I've never done before:

I put up a Missed Connection on Craigslist.

North Ave. bus, 11:30 p.m. - w4m - 25

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Date: 2006-10-13, 12:44AM CDT


It's always nice to give compliments, which is why I told you you were cute as we got off the bus. I certainly didn't expect to have it echoed back.

We should've gone to Louie's (or any of the better bars in our 'hood).

this is in or around Paulina


And he wrote back!

Hi,

You're right compliments are nice, shame on me for not saying thank you. Sorry I wasn't very articulate last night but I was caught a bit off guard when the cute girl I had been stealing glances said what I was thinking. Usually when I hear "hey person" its followed by "your shoes untied" or "get the heck out of the street" :-) I am going out of town for the weekend but I would love to meet up early next week and grab a drink at any of your favorite drinking establishments in the neighborhood.

you totally made my night,

J.

Odds of this happening? Pretty damn slim.

Unless---and this I just found out tonight when I was writing this, as I did a search for my original MC---you're already on to put one up:

RE: North Ave. bus, 11:30 p.m. - m4w

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Date: 2006-10-13, 11:06AM CDT


First you beat me to the compliment and now to the missed connection. I wouldn't call it an echo since I was thinking it the whole ride.

this is in or around paulina

Wow! So now I know why he was trolling through the MCs.

Regardless of whether or not our little drink date is fantastically fun or tooth-achingly excruciating, my little compliment sharing has made me determined to try it more often. I hope it encourages all of you to do the same. And to check the Missed Connections--you never know who could put up an MC for you!