“Let’s talk!”

—“It looks like I’m not gonna be able to hike Lehigh Valley RailTrail as I hoped.”
I texted that to my widow-friend, who suggested we eat out after she took her dog to the vet.
Her vet and our restaurant are in the same town.
That widow is 82 years old, but she smiles and laughs at my jokes. We hang out, and enjoy each other’s company, at least me her.
“Almost handsome,” my hairdresser said as he finished my haircut.
“****,” I said; “I’m 76 years old, way over the hill, and no Beto O’Rourke. Yet I got ladies eating outta my hand.”
“Who’s Beto O’Rourke?” my hairdresser asked.
“Some dude ladies lust after. I think he’s a Texas congressman.”
“Ya talk to ‘em,” **** said; “and let ‘em talk to you. That’s what ladies love most = talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.”
“A simple exchange of emotions,” someone once told me. Men don’t do that, but women love it.
**** then told me about taking the Harvest-Queen to his high-school Junior Prom. “She was so gorgeous the other boys were afraid to ask her.”
“And the pretty girls carry a cross,” I interjected. “Boys are afraid, or become loathsome-lotharios. What a pretty girl wants most is normal conversation. Their beauty gets in the way.”
“So I took her to the prom, and we had a wonderful time,” **** said.
So here at home I Googled Beto O’Rourke, expecting some muscled hunk.
“I detect a charmer!” I said to myself. “The same charmer George Clooney is, and women think him irresistible.”
The other day I hiked Lehigh Valley RailTrail, and about two-thirds of the way to my turn-around I came upon a girl doing calisthenics trailside.
“Do I dare say hello?” I asked, as I approached.
Silent acknowledgment, so I continued walking.
Suddenly “Have a nice day,” about 10 yards after I passed.
“TOO LATE!” I said to myself. “Now you wanna talk, but earlier when I tried to start a conversation ya balked.”
To my turnaround is 10-15 minutes, then back is another 10-15 minutes.
She could see me turn around, so I think she might have stayed in hopes I’d try again.
“I thought by now you’d be gone,” I said on my second approach.
She giggled and smiled. No idea what we talked about, if anything. But I think she was happy I tried again.
Do it! Say something! Start a conversation. If that bombs, try someone else = try charming someone else.
Let ‘em talk! That seems to be what women want most, i.e. you value what they say = “yes, I like you; let’s talk!”