Don't be afraid to use gestures that say, “I'd like to chat with you” — whether that means a smile, a nod, a wave or just eyebrows raised in expectation.

She frowned , smoothed herself , and said , “ Your name was in the paper today .

But this mother was frowning and for all I knew was talking to a relative who was ill.

But if you don't exude the sexual charisma that it takes to raise her eyebrows, you might as well buy an extra tube of hand cream on your way home from the bar.

She too seemed aware of our haplessness, but she did not wear their frown.