Silent Treatment Strategy

Jason had read a blog post that morning titled The Power of the Pregnant Pause. It claimed that the key to being an irresistible, mysterious man on a first date was to let the woman do eighty percent of the talking and respond only with enigmatic smiles and brief, thoughtful nods.

He met Maya at a quiet wine bar. She was bubbly and talkative, which worked perfectly for his plan. For the first forty-five minutes, Maya shared stories about her career in marketing, her golden retriever, and her obsession with sourdough starters. Jason sat there like a stone gargoyle, occasionally tilting his head and offering a slow, knowing smirk.

By the second glass of wine, the silence on Jason’s end was becoming deafening. Maya started to fidget. She would ask a question, and Jason would simply close his eyes for three seconds, breathe deeply, and then look at her without saying a word.

Finally, Maya slammed her hand on the table. "Look, Jason, if you're a mime, you should have put that in your bio. It’s a very niche lifestyle choice!"

Jason panicked and broke his vow of silence. "I'm not a mime! I'm being mysterious!"

Maya sighed and gathered her purse. "There is a very fine line between mysterious and 'looks like he's trying to remember if he left the stove on.' You crossed it thirty minutes ago."