Dirty Old Men

Today, I was in a state capitol on an elevator in a professional office building with five other people. To my left was a lobbyist, a young, attractive woman in her late 20's who was dressed professionally in a navy blue suit with a skirt that fell below her knees. To my far right was a man not known by any of us, but probably in his 60's and wearing -- it is Texas -- olive toned boots.

The woman said to this man, "I like your boots."

The man quickly replied, "I like what is above your feet." Someone else in the elevator gasped.

"Uh, thanks," she replied hesitantly.

Just then, the elevator stopped, and the man and one other person got off. I said, "Well, that was what you would call the direct approach," as everyone began to laugh.

Later, as she drove me to the airport for my return to Dallas, the woman told me that she tended bar while in college, so she handles just about anything. She also said that if the guy had been younger, she would have let him have it. When they're that old, she explained, all you can do is laugh.

I wouldn't have blamed her for letting him have it at any age. However, tending bar and working with legislators has seemingly inured her to inappropriate remarks.