“You two look like you're ready to have a good time.”
It was one of those weird sentences that makes you think, What does this person want?
I was sitting at the bar in Gallup, New Mexico, motel. Watching football, listening to the couple next to me. From Massachusetts, they were just passing through and asked the bartender for restaurant recommendations.
Nearby, two couples shared a table. And one of the women stood up, walked over to the couple from Massachusetts, and that was the first thing she said. “You two look like you're ready to have a good time.”
Massachusetts' defenses went up. They bristled, almost physically. Wary. I could sense their caution, it emanated from every sentence. They danced around questions, gave short responses. They were not accustomed to …
… being invited by strangers to go out dancing.
Eventually they left to go have dinner. They politely declined the offer. “Perhaps another time,” they lied.
