She asks it casually, mid-sip. And you feel the floor open up, because the honest answer is work, gym, and a couple shows you're half-watching.
Women rarely say this out loud, but a man with a life is attractive before he says a word. The guy who spent Saturday deep-sea fishing and came back with photos and a story — he walks in already interesting.
The "22 Rules" pushed me to build a life worth talking about. Turns out the fastest way to be interesting to women is to be interested in your own life first.
Next Monday you'll feel more confident. After the gym you'll feel more confident. After one more drink you'll feel more confident. After you get a better haircut, a better jacket, a better job.
You've been "getting ready" for two years.
She's standing ten feet away right now. She'll be gone in four minutes. No amount of preparation will manufacture the courage that only comes from moving your feet.
Walk over. Stumble through the first sentence. Let it be clumsy. Let it be imperfect. You will feel more alive in those ten seconds than you have all month.
Ok. I tell you this. You said the girl is nice, so you like her... Go back there and guard her and watch her, then, ask her out.
I can't go back in time to July 19. She's gone. We are talking about memories now and the integrity and resolution of this memory. The way this is discussed makes it feel like it happened yesterday, but it's really archival status. Like watching an old movie for the first time once all the hype has gone. That's all there is here. She's probably in Newmarket in a city far, far away. End credits roll.
Game over