Like a double rainbow after a dark storm, her smile was gorgeous. Her shoulders dropped, she laughed and gushed how she did not know anyone here. I glanced back at Jim, who had on his smug told-you-so expression, but he, too, seemed pleased. The girl and I were best friends fo

On the eve of my twelfth birthday, while on a glorious Florida vacation, my oldest brother, Jim, observed me at the local teen club staring at my toes and writhing in self conscious agony. I, unfortunately, was completely ignored by the rest of the joyful group of kids.

He asked, "What's the matter, Fatsinello?" (I was so skinny that calling me Fats was a big brother joke.) Ha Ha.

With a sigh, I replied, "Nothing."

Jim, with his typical insight, said, "Go find the loneliest looking person in the room, just walk up to them and say "Hi." He nodded in the direction of a young girl sipping a Coke at a distant table.

"Go say Hi," he commanded.

The walk to her table was heart pounding in anticipation of total public humiliation, having been set-up a million times before by my three brothers for their comedic entertainment.

The girl starred at me like a frightened rabbit and her rigid head twisted. I chocked out a lame,"Hi."

Like a double rainbow after a dark storm, her smile was gorgeous. Her shoulders dropped, she laughed and gushed how she did not know anyone here. I glanced back at Jim, who had on his smug told-you-so expression, but he, too, seemed pleased. The girl and I were best friends fo

On the eve of my twelfth birthday, while on a glorious Florida vacation, my oldest brother, Jim, observed me at the local teen club staring at my toes and writhing in self conscious agony. I, unfortunately, was completely ignored by the rest of the joyful group of kids.

He asked, "What's the matter, Fatsinello?" (I was so skinny that calling me Fats was a big brother joke.) Ha Ha.

With a sigh, I replied, "Nothing."

Jim, with his typical insight, said, "Go find the loneliest looking person in the room, just walk up to them and say "Hi." He nodded in the direction of a young girl sipping a Coke at a distant table.

"Go say Hi," he commanded.

The walk to her table was heart pounding in anticipation of total public humiliation, having been set-up a million times before by my three brothers for their comedic entertainment.

The girl starred at me like a frightened rabbit and her rigid head twisted. I chocked out a lame,"Hi."

Like a double rainbow after a dark storm, her smile was gorgeous. Her shoulders dropped, she laughed and gushed how she did not know anyone here. I glanced back at Jim, who had on his smug told-you-so expression, but he, too, seemed pleased. The girl and I were best friends fo

He asked, "What's the matter, Fatsinello?" (I was so skinny that calling me Fats was a big brother joke.) Ha Ha.

With a sigh, I replied, "Nothing."

Jim, with his typical insight, said, "Go find the loneliest looking person in the room, just walk up to them and say "Hi." He nodded in the direction of a young girl sipping a Coke at a distant table.

"Go say Hi," he commanded.

The walk to her table was heart pounding in anticipation of total public humiliation, having been set-up a million times before by my three brothers for their comedic entertainment.

The girl starred at me like a frightened rabbit and her rigid head twisted. I chocked out a lame,"Hi."

Like a double rainbow after a dark storm, her smile was gorgeous. Her shoulders dropped, she laughed and gushed how she did not know anyone here. I glanced back at Jim, who had on his smug told-you-so expression, but he, too, seemed pleased. The girl and I were best friends fo

"Go say Hi," he commanded.

The walk to her table was heart pounding in anticipation of total public humiliation, having been set-up a million times before by my three brothers for their comedic entertainment.

The girl starred at me like a frightened rabbit and her rigid head twisted. I chocked out a lame,"Hi."

Like a double rainbow after a dark storm, her smile was gorgeous. Her shoulders dropped, she laughed and gushed how she did not know anyone here. I glanced back at Jim, who had on his smug told-you-so expression, but he, too, seemed pleased. The girl and I were best friends fo

Like a double rainbow after a dark storm, her smile was gorgeous. Her shoulders dropped, she laughed and gushed how she did not know anyone here. I glanced back at Jim, who had on his smug told-you-so expression, but he, too, seemed pleased. The girl and I were best friends for the duration of my Florida vacation and because of her, I had so much fun. With a friend by my side, I came alive, was funnier, more daring, danced at the club and even allowed myself to be semi-hypnotized by the visiting magician.

I had another opportunity to try the "Just say Hi" technique. I was working for Emmy award winning Alexander Singer as his assistant for a Director's Dialogue held at the Director's Guild in Los Angeles. My job consisted of helping during the meetings and nervously inviting directors including Warren Beatty to attend the meetings. I also received a special perk - a single ticket to a workshop on the Queen Mary ocean liner.

I arrived at seven in the morning hoping that I would be discovered by a ship full of directors. I listened to several lectures and watched a few movies and then all the attendees met in the large dining room for lunch. Nearly all the people were men and seemed to know each other well. They quickly grouped together and filled up the tables. I felt self-conscious and a bit like the last one standing during musical chairs. Then, I saw a pretty woman sitting alone at a table close to the podium and I remembered "Just say Hi." She was staring at her place setting and seemed lost in private thought.

"Hi," I offered.

Like awakened, she looked up at