Ego Boost
When I went to college I already had an engagement ring on my finger. Zachary proposed the summer after my senior year of high school (at about 2am, on the beach, under the stars, at the summer camp where I worked, where I was later baptized, and where our son later took his first steps—a very special place to us). He was essentially marking his territory before I went off to a fairly large university full of single guys. In the immortal words of my pastor, "At least he didn't pee on her."
It worked. Having an engagement ring in college means that for the most part no one hits on you and almost no one gives you a second glance. You're already taken and there are plenty of other coeds in the sea. (Interestingly, we found that after we were married and he had a ring on his finger, women hit on him more. Catty and conniving little tramps.) Because you get significantly less attention from the other sex, the young engaged woman can feel pretty unattractive and uninteresting at times. So that when you do occasionally turn a head, it makes you feel really good.
This happened once in a while to me during the winter on campus when gloves hid my engagement ring. But it has happened very little since college. In fact, I can't remember it ever happening, so if it did it must have gone unnoticed by me. After all, I rarely make eye contact with men I don't know. Then this morning, thanks to the reflective qualities of the glass doors at Meijer, I caught a guy looking at me as I left the store. In a city filled with slim, gorgeous college students who dress in the latest trends, this is something.
Now, I have to say that I always get lingering looks and compliments and flowers and gifts from my husband, so I'm definitely not starved for love and attention. And my mother and father always compliment me when they see me dressed up or have noticed that I lost weight. And thanks to Facebook I get compliments on occasion from friends who live in other cities and states. But to get a compliment or a look from a total stranger helps confirm that the people who love you aren't just looking past your glaring faults and that you really do look nice. It's just a boost to the ego, which most women could use every once in a while.
Wow, that's really nice.
BTW, what did he look like? What was he driving? Which Meijer? And on an unrelated note, what would you guess were his dimensions (if someone were to, say, need to hypothetically fit him in a box or dig a hole about the same size as him)?
Actually from his warbly reflection he appeared pretty good looking. :)
Lots of people are good looking, so that doesn't really help; did he have any distinguishing features? Was he wearing a nametag that might indicate where he works?
Hee hee...I love reading your man's comments. :) Right after I gave birth to our second - like, literally, my first day home from the hospital, The Engineer and I went by Home Depot for a quick purchase. While standing in the check out line, I felt exhausted and like I was falling apart and so I left that baby with my man and headed out to the car. A twenty-ish construction worker in a beat up truck slowly drove up behind me. He whistled and said, "Hey pretty lady! Where'd you come from?" Erin - I just about died! One, because if he knew what the heck was going on with me, he'd have run the other way and gagged! And secondly, WHAT AN EGO BOOST!!! I couldn't stop smiling. Maybe The Engineer hired him. I don't know. I just do know, like you said, it's an ego boost and occasionally, that is really nice.
I've been asked out once since I got married - and just like you - it was winter and I was wearing gloves. That poor man. He apologized again and again after I politely declined. He finally stopped after I told him he'd made my day.