Flirtation at the Bagel Shop: A Success?

Hey, guys!

I hope you all had great weekends. Mine wasn't too bad.

One great thing: I was able to do a phone interview with flirting expert Neil Strauss, author of the international best-seller The Game, a pick-up manual for men. If the book's premise sounds a little questionable to you — or you've heard about The Game and you're skeptical — all I can say is: I was dubious, too, at first. But I'm not any more: Strauss gave me some really unusual yet practical advice about how to talk to strangers. The first of three posts about our talk will go up tomorrow — and if I do say so myself, it's really interesting.

Today, though, I should catch you up a little on my weekend. The weather was gorgeous here in New York, and I started the morning off Saturday by biking over to one of my favorite bagel shops — Murray's, in the West Village — for a late breakfast.

I asked for coffee and cream cheese with my carbohydrate ring, found a table, and was munching on my multi-grain when I noticed a short-but-cute bespectacled dude lovingly putting his saxophone into a carrying case. Here's my chance for a good day's flirt! I thought. Especially when I have the perfect question to ask! So I piped up: "That's an alto, isn't it?"

The saxophonist looked at me, blushing wildly — and it was only then that I realized he probably wasn't quite legal to drink. "Yes!" he said.

I was the one blushing by then — feeling guilty of the offense of attempted flirtation with a minor — when a voice from behind me said, "You should hear him play. He's amazing. My star pupil."

The speaker was a dark-haired older guy, maybe thirty, who was also carrying a sax bag. He was so adorable — delicately-pointed nose, cheeks that were a high pink compared to the closely-shaven part of his face, lively eyes — that I almost choked on my cream cheese.

"Right on," I said to the kid. "Good for you."

"Are you a musician too?" the kid asked. "How'd you know this was an alto?"

"I just love jazz." Then I said to both of them: "So, do you guys play anywhere around here?"

The teacher mentioned a place I knew. "I'll be there Saturday night at 9:30," he said. "Stop by."

"Definitely," I said.

And then, after flashing a quick smile back at me, he ushered his student out.

Wow! Had Teacher-man been flirting with me? I kind of had the feeling he had been. I also kind of had the feeling I had a nice schmear of whipped fromage on one corner of my mouth....

So tell me: Have you guys ever had a successful flirtation at a bagel shop?

Before I sign off today, a note to all of you, my lovely readers, about my name: As those of you who have been with me from the start (I love you) will have noticed, my blog name used to be Maggie Glendon. That was a pseudonym, which I was using because I was scared I might go out and flirt with a psycho who would then read my blog, flip out, figure out where I lived ... etc. But my friend Abby — a fabulous editor at Marie Claire, who's probably single-handedly done more to help me out, career-wise, than anyone else in the world — convinced me it'd probably be better for my future as a writer if I used my real name. So, folks, here I am!

Tune in tomorrow to read the first part of my interview with Neil Strauss — and on Wednesday to find out what happened with the jazz cat!

xxx!

PS: Now, that I'm using my real name, my sister is reading — so here's a shout-out to her!