Flattery Will Get You Anywhere

I had to get up at 3:00 yesterday to catch my 6:00 flight to California (just to make sure I could get through security in time--although actually, at 5 a.m. the line was moving along pretty swiftly). For someone who used to wake up at 4 every morning to work out before work, I didn't handle the 3 a.m. wake-up call very well.

I duly caffeinated myself and even brought a giant sweatshirt (the leading cause of grouchy Katies on airplanes is that they're cold), but I was pretty sure I was fighting a losing battle.

But then the universe smiled on me.

First, an airport security guard told me I had a nice smile. This was clearly a lie, because even with caffeine, I'm not a very chipper human early in the morning. Still, I appreciate the effort. It's not like he has an ongoing relationship with me. If he feels moved, he can lie to me if he wants.

Then I got to California, and I got a cabdriver who felt compelled to flirt with me the whole way to the office. He said only 1% of the women in the United States were as nice as I was. His opinion was based on the following facts, gleaned during our brief acquaintance:

1. I rarely drink.
2. I don't smoke.
3. I talk to taxi drivers named Ahmed.

It's nice to know I come up to someone's expectations. A rave review from Ahmed the taxi driver (his real name, or at least, the one on his card) may not get me a raise, but on a day when you've gotten up at 3 a.m., it's surprisingly comforting.