Our Stop(20)

‘What are you doing?’ Percy said.

‘I am … smiling,’ said Daniel.

‘Why are you walking up and down the office like you’ve only just realized you’ve got legs?’

‘No,’ said Daniel. ‘I’m not, erm … I’ll …’

Percy looked at him, trying to understand what Daniel wasn’t saying. Meredith walked past them both then, and coyly said, ‘Hey Daniel,’ as she went by.

‘Hey,’ said Daniel, to the back of her head. She turned around and looked at him over her shoulder, and then she was gone.

Percy looked at Daniel and back to Meredith.

‘Weird,’ he said, under his breath, moving to answer a ringing phone.

Daniel went for his lunchtime walk to the market with the sole purpose of Making Eye Contact. He’d not even done it properly with Meredith – he’d forgotten to smile! – but she’d made a point of seeking him out to say hello later. Daniel understood the idea behind it now – if he could practise being brave around women, when it came to finally talking with Nadia he could be more sure he wouldn’t screw it up. Making eye contact and smiling at strangers – and, chapter six said, finding the courage to make chit-chat with strangers too – was all a way of building the Flirting Muscle, so that it was strong for the person who might go on to mean something.

It’s like the gym, but for flirting, Grant Garby had written, and Daniel was starting to see why his book had sold so many copies. It wasn’t radical. It was a really well-reasoned argument for putting yourself out there in a way that was natural and well-meaning.

Daniel held his chin high, almost demented in his quest for eye contact as he walked to the burrito place. It wasn’t until he held the eye of other people that he realized, once again, how often he didn’t. And it was incredible, the effect that it had on people. He could see women – and he didn’t discriminate between younger or older, conventionally attractive to him or not – respond immediately to him. Nobody shied away or accused him of being a pervert or chased him off, waving their handbag at his head. It felt friendly. He wasn’t being sleazy or gross, just friendly. The way these women smiled back at him made Daniel feel like the most popular guy in London. There was a bravery to seeing people, but a bravery to letting himself be seen too. Making eye contact was like taking up space in the world, and to take up space he had to believe he was worth the space. He’d never thought of himself as shy, but the eye-contact thing was making him feel confident, and he definitely hadn’t felt that way for a while.

Fine. Chapter six. You were right, Daniel texted to Lorenzo.

Yes mate!!!! Lorenzo pinged back. Have you done the ‘asking advice’ bit yet? It fucking works every time!

Then, after a second, Lorenzo also said: If you need emergency condoms because of this, my side table near my bed is always packed with them. Extra-large tho.

Daniel knew what Lorenzo was talking about – about the advice, not the condoms. Daniel could source his own condoms, should he need any. Which wasn’t the point of today. Today was just about exploring this confident feeling. He liked it. He liked how confidence felt.

The book suggested that the way to move from a smile to talking to a stranger was best practised in a queue at a café. The book said to ask the person behind you a question, like which cupcake flavour to pick, because you couldn’t decide – thus opening up the floodgates of possible conversation.

It’s an invitation to get talking, the book decreed, with no obligation to keep going on either part. If you turn to the man behind you and say, ‘Would you get the lemon or the chocolate? I can’t decide,’ he can answer the question and that’s it. Or, he can answer the question and you can use it as a way to rank muffin flavours, or the merits of frosting. Initiating conversation doesn’t mean you are proposing marriage, it simply means you are a person capable of chit-chat, of connecting. And if it doesn’t work, that’s not because you aren’t worthy: it’s because the other person didn’t want to chat. That’s all. So try again.

The book also said chit-chat was a great time to introduce some light teasing too. If he answers blueberry, don’t be afraid to tell him, ‘Oh, it would never work out between us! Who chooses blueberry when chocolate is on offer?’ It plants the seed that there could be an ‘us’, and challenges him to act, if he is interested. Suddenly he might declare, ‘Well hey! Don’t write me off that easily!’ and then, before you know it, he’s asking for your phone number.

Daniel wasn’t sure about the mind games behind that, but he was willing to try, since even simple eye contact had made him feel more prepared for coming face to face with Nadia. He stood in line for his burrito behind two women in suits, presumably from one of the offices near his own. It was about a half square mile of offices, including, somewhere, Nadia’s.

Daniel scrutinized the board. A burrito was a burrito, so there weren’t many options to have to choose from. He’d have to pick between meat or veggie mince, or perhaps ask for an extra side of sour cream.

The queue pushed forward. There was one bloke in front of the women, and it would quickly be their turn. He had to say something soon, else he’d lose his chance, and then what? He’d rejoin the back of the queue so he could work up his courage with somebody else? No. That was weird. The book said this was all supposed to be super natural, super chill. Whatever, man. It’s all good.