THE CUTEST LITTLE ESSAY
BY DAN MILLER
June 22, 2006
The thought first crossed my mind during lunch on Father's Day.
My daughter Darcy was treating me, my wife and youngest daughter to lunch at a little restaurant in Franklin, when a nice young woman came up to Darcy -- apologized for interrupting our lunch -- but said she simply had to know where Darcy got her hair cut.
She said she loved Darcy's bangs.... that they were "so cute".
Darcy thanked her for the compliment.... then provided the woman with -- not only the name of the hair salon, but the address and telephone number as well.
The young woman apologized again for the interruption, but explained how she'd been looking for someone who could cut her hair that same way.
The same scenario happens all the time with Karen, my wife.
She'll be out in public somewhere, when she'll be approached by a woman she doesn't know -- a complete stranger -- who'll say something like, "those are the cutest shoes, where did you get them?"
And they'll spend 5 minutes talking about shoes.
And it can work the other way just as often.
Karen might be the one who approaches the stranger to comment on her shoes, or blouse, or skirt, or hair.
(Usually though, it's about shoes)
And I overhear the same exchanges taking place most every day in the Channel 4 newsroom between Lisa and Demetria and the other women who work there.
It got me thinking.....
No man -- friend or stranger -- has ever, anywhere, said to me, "those are the cutest shoes.... where'd you get them?"
Even if they did, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't remember.
"I dunno", I'd say, "I think I bought 'em about 7 years ago."
No man has ever complimented me on my cute top, or my pants, or my hair.
Most men just don't seem to care what another man is wearing.
Chances are, they don't even notice.
If my wife were to suddenly disappear, and the police asked me to describe what she was last wearing.... there's only a very slim chance that I'd have any idea whatsoever.
Heck, unless I look down, or in a mirror, there's an excellent chance that I couldn't even tell you what I'm wearing.
Viva la difference!!
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