Harmless, everyday flirtations

[Diable Rouge]

Nothing that could possibly transgress ethical boundaries in the #MeToo era, of course, but regular encounters notable precisely for their very mundanity, such as the Polish girl who always seems to be behind the counter whenever you make purchases from the corner shop. Progress from dutiful exchange of coin to amiable small talk is permissible, but any hint of familiarity can only result in mutual embarrassment.

[Toby Gymshorts]

PARKLIFE!

Just ask her out already,

[DCI Harry Batt]

Oh dear.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

jesteś piękna

[Duncan Gardner]

Lewy do Prawego
Paddy do Lewego

[Balderdasha]

There was a brief point in time, about ten years ago, when I had split up with graffiti boyfriend but not yet met my now-husband, where I really fancied a guy who worked on the photo counter at Boots. I went as far as buying several single-use cameras and spending a couple of days out with friends with the express purpose of taking interesting photos so I might have something to talk to him about. One day, for example, we found as many of the decorated elephant statues that were littered around London at the time and took a full roll of photos of them. I never got as far as actually asking the guy out and knew very little about him.