Would you like to see my etchings?

Had to take my car for service yesterday and since I didn't want to bother anyone for a ride, I went prepared to spend some quality time drawing and practicing for a weekly art class that I'm taking.

There's a little cafe at the Honda place so once my car had been taken away for ministrations, I ordered a delicious Cuban cafe con leche,  took out my little sketch book (the size of a small notebook) my pencils, some charcoal and my trusty eraser and rag and proceeded to draw and shade and erase as necessary to avoid the ire of my teacher when I presented my results next week. Basically I was doing some  homework and patting myself on the back for leaving my Ipad at home!

Not five minutes had gone by when I felt I was being stared at.  Sure enough, a man was looking at my work and promptly started to comment on it.  "Can you draw me?" he asked flirtatiously.  "Nope" I said.  "I don't do portraits and besides, I draw a lot of hair!" said cheekily of course as I stared at his hairless head.  He thought that was very funny so he sat with me for a while and brought his cafe with him. Interesting face...maybe I should have tried.  He was a Honda employee so he was called to work soon after only to be replaced by another very attractive gentleman who commented that he loved the lady I was drawing.  He also sat with me. He also had his dose of cafecito. Both men were friendly and nice looking.   His car was ready so he reluctantly left our little chat dropping his card on the table with "I hope we can continue this conversation another time?...call me!"

A few minutes later another gentleman joined my table again commenting on my sketch and enhancing his conversation about a visit he'd made to the museum only last month.  I think he was trying to impress me. It was rather sweet.  Another card joined the first. Oh my!

Three more men stopped at my little out-of-way table to find out what I was doing.  It occurred to me that this etching thing was a very good way to meet people!  I didn't even need a dog or a fancy car to have six perfect strangers sit at my table quite naturally, chat away and suggest another meeting to further the artsy conversation. Most of them were spanish speaking and quite lively.  Most of them were attractive and definitely my age or older. Hmmm, have I discovered a new way to make friends?  At my age I guess a Honda service department is as good, or even better than other more traditional venues where people get to talk to each other! Who knew!

The cards? I threw them out.  I was flattered and had a great time.  Why push it right? Still, must return to the service department next week for them to install a spare part that they didn't have yesterday. Should I take my little magic sketch book?