Empty's Theme Park

I was at a restaurant today for lunch (bookended by joyous visits to Wal*Mart and Costco, respectively).  While at the restaurant, I got the distinct impression that one of the waitresses was checking me out.  She wasn’t our waitress, but it was a small restaurant and not very busy.  She was quite attractive, in her 20’s, light brown hair tied back in a ponytail.  It’s possible I may have tossed an appreciative glance in her direction as well.

Here’s the thing.  How do you know that someone is showing an interest in you, and not just wondering if you want a refill on your water or trying to figure out why the creepy old man keeps glancing in her direction?  How do you know you’re not just reading too much into it?  Why does attraction have to be so goddamn frustrating?  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could somehow know for sure that, yes, people of the opposite sex (or same, if that’s your thing) find you attractive and not have to live in this bubble of self-doubt and low self-esteem?

I think this is part of the reason why ‘relationships’ blossom so easily on the Internet.  There’s that distance.  It’s easier to tell someone that you find them attractive when you’re not face to face.  It’s not so appropriate in the real world.  I wish it were.  It’s not even a question of looking to make something of it….but just something as simple as communicating to someone that you find them attractive.  ”Hi.  I’m probably never going to see you again, but I think you’re extremely pretty.  I just wanted you to know.”  Creepy, right?  Or at least, you don’t know how it’s going to be received.  On the Internet, the worst that will happen is that you’ll be ignored or called a weirdo.  In person, maybe they’d slap you in the face.  Maybe they’d cause an embarrassing scene.  Maybe their meathead boyfriend is walking around the corner and likes any excuse to fight.  So many variables.  Not to mention the fact that it may be looked on poorly by your own spouse/significant other, depending on the nature of your relationship.

This is why I’m continuing my studies of human telepathy.  I feel like mind-reading is the only rational answer.