3 Seconds, 3 Looks
Manhattan turns you into an animal. Your senses reach a new level; you’re like a jungle predator, receiving stimuli with every single part of your body and always ready to engage to meet your adversary. The difference is, in Manhattan your adversary is gorgeous and – instead of running away from him – you feel like climbing him instead. Over here, you stare at people practically all the time, for the place is like a pumped-up Benetton ad, with walking, breathing covers of Vogue and Men’s Health wheezing by you. Every 5 minutes or so. How are we supposed to stay cool? I stopped even trying.
Recently, my friend made me aware of the so-called “3 seconds theory”. During this brief moment, you immediately form an opinion of a person you meet (I have to say, the theory works for me so far). I also developed something like “3 Looks Theory”, which works perfectly here at Big Apple.
1. You walk and you spot him from a distance. First look: “What have we got here…?”; you feel he did the same. You’re still not sure if it isn’t just your optimism taking hold.
2. Once he’s a dozen feet away, a second look happens, as if both of you were saying: “Let’s check if the first one was true!”. Your eyes meet. Mmm, yeah. The thought enters your mind: „Oh lord, save me!”.
3. The third, crucial look, a real deal braker: if it doesn’t happen, that means the look #2 failed and you were more attractive from afar than you are up-close. But if #3 happens, you can prepare fireworks. The guy is caught.
What next? There are a few options:
1. Nothing, which makes you into a loser, for the chances you will meet this random guy again are minimal (many a look will pass…)
2. You can smile and slow down your walk. Chances are he will slow down, too, smile back and the conversation will start.
3. You can smile widely and say: “Hi, how are you?”. What have you got to lose? He’s not gonna respond? Bitch, you know he will! And even if he’s taken, you will find a new target withing the next couple of minutes, for sure.
