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So a patient comes in today for her cleaning. Yes, a female patient. Anyway, she was quite nice the last time she was in and we had had a good time chatting it up and/or flirting. So much so that I very much wished to chat it up and/or flirt with her a little bit again. I knew that she had a boyfriend, so it wouldn't really go anywhere. However, I just enjoy that sort of thing - a little harmless non-committal flirting. Surprisingly, a lot of other people enjoy that sort of thing too and are just as eager to engage in it with me as I am with them. After all, it's either that or perusing through a 2-month old copy of Cosmo or Latino Businessman (I have no idea why we get that particular magazine at our office, as the owners are neither Latino nor men). And honestly, I think they've probably already read "60 HOT Ways to Please Their Man" in its many various forms enough times over the year.

So, after I offer the customary welcome and let her know that the hygienist would be right with her, I tell her that I really dug her new hairstyle. She gave me a big smile and told me thank you, but she hadn't actually changed it since she had last visited our office. Now at this point, I had already earned a gold star for the compliment and I could have either just returned to my paperwork with her being happy that I noticed that her hair was lovely albeit not new or I could have changed the subject and had a lovely light conversation with her until she was called back to her appointment. But instead, this came out of my mouth:

"I guess that it just looks a lot better than it did the last time you were here."

As soon as the last syllable left my tongue I knew that I had made a complete ass out of myself. In fact, I couldn't believe that I said it even as I was saying it. It was like the levees of charm and intelligence had broken and the river of bumbling buffoonishness had spilled out to wash away our quaint little town. I mean, complimenting a girl is one thing, but inferring that she had ever looked anything less than lovely is a big no-no. She could have come in with a bad perm or dye-job and left her windows down as she drove over and I still should have made no mention of it. Even though I had no romantic ovations towards her, I still could of at least complimented her without insulting her. And the irony - I don't even remember what her hair looked like the last time that she was in. I was just trying to be nice (and you know where that will get you).

So, I said my dumb

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