Monday Manners: Ask Me Ask Me Ask Me

True story:

I was walking up Sixteenth Street on my way to work. As I was crossing Locust, a gentleman approached me. "Excuse me. Do you know where the Glaxo Smith Klein building is?"

As it happened, I did. "Yeah, it's about seven blocks up, on the other side of the street."

"That far, huh?"

"Afraid so." I started walking. We were walking in the same direction, he and I, but I was trying to walk quickly, so as not to be late to work, and I wasn't paying much attention to the fact that he hadn't yet crossed to the other side of the street. The light at Sansom changed colors, and I became aware of the fact that the man I'd given directions to was still behind me, and I heard him say something. I turned around to see if he was talking to me, then saw he was holding his phone and began to turn around again, thinking he was just getting off a call. But he saw me look, and then repeated himself: "Have lunch with me today." It wasn't a request. It was a command.

"Ummm... no thanks!" The light turned green and I took off as fast as my high heels would let me.

This is not the way to ask a girl out.

There are plenty of ways to ask that special lady out, though. We like to think that perhaps that special lady is a little more than a kind stranger who gave you directions to an early-morning business meeting. Maybe you at least bought her a drink first. But even if you're in a situation like mine, there are ways to be smoother about your request.

Look after the jump for pointers on getting that first date.