How to Screw Up a Good Thing

I witnessed a tragedy on Saturday night.

You see, I was out with a few friends at a pretty cool, busy bar. And when I say "busy," what I mean is "so friggin' packed you can't move" or "you wait 20 minutes for your beer" or "sardine can." There were a LOT of people there. One of whom was my very attractive single friend we'll call Katie, and another was the attractive guy who almost picked her up, henceforth referred to as "Bob."

Like I said, Bob was a good looking gentleman, and he was a fun guy. He said hi, they started talking, and he ended up hanging out with us for most of the night. As a people watcher and a big fan of the dynamics of male/female interaction, I was fairly impressed with his game. They flirted, danced, and seemed to be into each other. There was a good amount of touching and Katie seemed to be pretty into him. He was doing all the right things.

When the end of the night rolled around, though, he blew it. He obviously liked her, and she made it fairly clear that she liked him, too. We all figured they'd leave together, and I know she was game for it. That's why I was stunned when he left. Why? Because he didn't ask what she was up to later, didn't suggest hanging out after the bar, and didn't even get her number.

What is that all about? The guy could have had an awesome fun-filled night with very little expectations, and he went home alone because he didn't pull the trigger. Not only did he miss out, but he left himself no options for the future. What are the chances they'll run into each other again in a city like DC? Not good.

Guys, please please learn to close the deal when you're having fun. It does no good to chat a girl up all night if you're not going to act on the opportunities that arise. If you've got a good interaction going and there seems to be chemistry, no girl is going to hold it against you if you offer her a ride home. Don't have the balls to ask for a private afterparty? Maybe the logistics are screwed up and it won't work that night? Then at least get her number and actually use it. When you don't have a way to follow up, not only could you miss out on a great time with a cool chick, but you also leave her confused and possibly a little hurt, wondering why you didn't take the initiative. Remember, the first thing that comes to a girl's mind is almost never "he didn't have the guts," but a lot more often "didn't he like me?"

Be a closer.



Other happenings:

It looks like the rumors of KassyK's demise may have been slightly exaggerated. That said, she seems to be in critical condition in the intensive care wing, so stop by, show some love, and tell her to stick around.

On the other hand, DC Cookie is going on hiatus. That sucks. Click your heels together and hope she comes back soon.

Lastly, it seems my "no chemistry" streak is coming to an end. I hung out with a great girl recently that I'm very much looking forward to seeing again. I think she is too, but it's too early to tell what, if anything, will come of it. I sense potential, so we'll see.