This one time, my friend and I are at a local dive bar (one of my favorites for its proximity to water and the fun mix of people who typically show up) for a fun night out with no expectations for how it will go. True to form, she gets hit on by some guy. With his group are a few other men. Naturally, the only one who talks to me happens to have a girlfriend.*

Mr. Big Shot chatting up my friend is the CEO of a local startup. He goes on and on and on about his company and how cool and awesome he is. (Meanwhile, I meet said girlfriend and we chat PR related things and I give her some contacts to switch jobs #iworkinpr #networking). My friend is consumed in conversation with this guy for quite some time.

When we finally break to leave and get food at another location, she finally clues me in to how their conversation went. Apparently, Mr. Big Shot really played up exactly how much of a big shot he was. He spent the entire conversation talking about how much money he made and what his company did and how he’s done this all at a young age and expects to be extra successful.

Her reaction? “Ask me what I do!”

He never once asked her any questions or bothered to get to know her. His lack of interest in her forced her to lose ALL interest in him. Maybe he was super impressive. Maybe Mr. Big Shot really was a big shot and someone worth knowing. Doesn’t matter. In the “chat a girl up in a bar” game, you need to at least feign interest in the girl.

*Most men who chat me up in bars have girlfriends. No idea why this is my track record. I assume they do it for ego purposes, to make their girlfriend jealous, or because they are a dirty rotten cheater. I just have at look that says “unavailable men only, please.”