Just... hush... shhh...

I skip the drive through line at Starbucks so I can run into the restroom first... I’ve been doing the pee pee dance in my car seat for over an hour now. I’m in line to get a pick me up since I’m about to fall over at this point. A nice - but, if I’m honest, too perfect - looking guy in line in front of me turns around and says hello. I smile and say hi. He turns back around and I look at the menu to decide if I want to use my star reward for a special drink or if I just want a dark roast pour over. I feel like someone’s looking at me and realize the perfect face in front of me is facing me again. He apologizes and says, “I just wanted to tell you that you have great cheekbones.” A little surprised I say, “Oh! Thanks!” I mean that is not a compliment that normally gets thrown around in the general public. “That’s random,” I think to myself, “but hey that’s kind of cool too...” I’m thinking about this now when he continues...

“I’m actually a cosmetic surgeon, and people pay me a lot of money for cheekbones like yours so I had to tell you. I’m sorry if that was awkward.” And then he laughs a little. Suddenly the compliment makes perfect sense, and I realize that because of his training and workday, he probably sees all the little details about a person right away without even trying. I’m still a little nerdy every time I see a mass transit vehicle and notice the bike rack orientation and whether the decals are the standard or upgraded packages... I spent 9 years in that industry with half of it in Project Management, and you just can’t help it. So I kind of laughed to myself a little and thought that was the end of our exchange.

We could have stopped right there; I would’ve gotten the Americano that I settled for, and I would have maybe had a little extra sassiness today with my new appreciation for the cheekbones I got my from dad that I also always notice when I see pictures of him and his ancestors. But it’s never that easy is it?

He says, “If you’re ever interested in stopping in, here’s my card. You have such a great smile, and I could tweak those scars at the corners of your mouth. You’d look amazing.”

What. The. Actual...

I look back at him, tell him politely, “thank you... that’s actually a dimple and it doesn’t bother me. The other thing is a scar from a dog bite, and it also doesn’t bother me. But I’m sure you do great work.”  I don’t take his card. He smiles again and it’s now his turn to place his order. Afterwards he smiles again, waves, and tells me to have a great rest of my day.

I suppose this is how it is for any expert of a particular field, they notice maybe not flaws but maybe opportunities to fix things. Part of me was like “Why is it always me that runs into these folks??” But maybe it’s better that it was me. Because I’m truly, honestly, 100% ok with my dog bite scar and dimple, and maybe someone else would have had to order the entire display of chocolate croissants after that exchange. Not me... just my Americano... so maybe this was an alright confirmation of something else... that I have 4 little boys who’ve already humbled me more than he can do in a 2 minute exchange at Starbucks. 😂

Oh and this is where I suggest if you’re in the cosmetic surgery business, that you pay the compliment and then just stop yourself from going further... Just... hush... shhhh... 

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