Compliments

Compliments are tricky things.  I'm a huge fan of the random ones, the ones that surprise people, and make you just smile real big.  But I am not a fan of the follow up ones.  You know, the ones people give you in response to ones you've given.  They always seem so phony to me.  I'm also not a huge fan of the obligatory compliments.  These are the compliments you get when you do something or you on purpose look a certain way.   The compliments you get when you finish a show, the "Great show!"s or "That was wonderful!"s.  Some of them seem legitimate, but others, well you know they're just saying it to make you feel better or to fill the air.  And the worst part is the way you have to react to these compliments.  "Oh thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.  Thank you so much for coming!" with the bright cheery totally fake smile, and the wish in your head that the person will stop talking to you so you can go run and finish up whatever you're working on, or finish the conversation you were having.  Those are the compliments I hate.  But I LOVE the random compliments.  And if I do say so myself, I rock at the random bathroom compliment.  These are my favorite kinds of compliments, because they usually take place in the bathroom at a bar or a restaurant.  On my birthday,  I was drunk and in a bathroom at a bar.  It was the weekend before Halloween, so tons of people were dressed up.  One girl had on a skirt, an apron, a string of pearls and the best red heels I have ever seen.  I asked her if she was a fifties housewife, and she was! She had thrown the costume together in minutes before leaving the house and I was the only one who had guessed what she was.  I complimented her on her shoes, and she walked out super happy.  Like I said, I'm the queen of the random compliment.