I took myself on a date to go see The Ant Man (I even paid! It was a matinee! I'm a cheap date...) which was, in true Marvel Movie fashion, absolutely phenomenal. However, the interaction I had beforehand threw me off a little. To preface this short story, I know the other day I said I was swearing off complimenting people -- women especially -- out in the world. But if you know me, you know that's not even an option. I'm just an affable and truthful person. If I see something I like, whether it be a thing or a person, I feel compelled to show my appreciation for it. Besides, I'm much better at making someone else's day than I am at making my own.
So, because it was a matinee, I brought cash, which can't be used at the machine thingie. This meant I had to see an actual teller. Of course there's only one booth open. Behind the glass was a younger girl, couldn't have been more than 20, I would guess. She was cute, but I wasn't going to tell her that.
"One for The Ant Man, please."
She looked up and gave me my total. That's when I noticed her earrings. She had little Mjolnir hammers with a thunderbolt overlapping it.
"Oh, hey! Cool earrings!" I smiled. I do that when I compliment people. It diminishes the compliment if you don't. People will think you're being sarcastic. Which I can generally pull off if I'm in the mood. But I wasn't. I was genuinely intrigued by the earrings. So I smiled. I don't think it was a flirtatious smile. But who knows?
"Oh, thanks. I have a boyfriend. He gave them to me." She handed me my ticket.
This upset me more than it should have. Not the fact that she had a boyfriend. It's not like I was asking her out. It was the fact that she mentioned it the way she did. As if to confirm to me that she was "off the market." Why is that a thing? Are women so bogged down by men asking them out that they have to advertise that they have a boyfriend to every man who pays them a compliment? Is the dating pool SO in favor of women that they're staving off any man who pays them any attention? It made me think of this picture I found a while back:
I hate to admit I got a little snarky with her.
"Oh, you're right; those earrings are actually pretty lame. They would have been cooler if you were single."
I'm not proud of what I said, nor is it even that funny. Thankfully my demeanor changed when the movie started up. And it was such a good movie that I'd almost forgotten about that girl until I left. The point is, go see The Ant Man and don't compliment the people at the ticket booths.
