“No I don’t.” “This thing is ancient.” “I barely got ready.” He has heard every version of a compliment being thrown in the trash before it can do anything.

Then she stops doing that. He says she looks good, and she does not argue with him. Maybe she glances down at what he mentioned. Maybe she only says thanks and reaches for her drink.

It changes the room by a few degrees. The next compliment does not feel like harmless manners anymore. If she is not pretending attention is embarrassing, a man starts wondering what else she might let stand.