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Got a really nice compliment

post #1 of 35
8/2/10 at 11:55am
Thread Starter 
Last week I came back to my apartment building. There were about ten kids, about ten-years-old to twelve, all bouncing off the walls in the entryway and making lots of noise while they fussed with the intercom system before the security doors. Usually when there are kids flipping out like that around the building you just tell them to get out and get lost, but surely anticipating this, one of them turned to me and said "we're here to pick up our friend Alex." Alex is my neighbor who's their age, so I knew they were cool and I was just going to have to wait for them to figure out the intercom box before I could use my security card to get the doors open.

Then I saw the problem was they had Alex's apartment number wrong, "No, Alex lives in 205, not 204!" I said, so they hit the right buttons and Alex's mom answered finally. Then one of the kids turned to me, put on a very serious face, made solid eye contact, nodded his head with apparent grown up admiration, and said "you smell really good."

I smiled a big smile back and said a great thanks, and then the whole gang went through the door.

I was wearing Diptyque's Eau de Lierre, and I smiled all the way up to my place.
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post #2 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:07pm
Out of the mouthes of babes, the truth always comes out.

Nice account.
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post #3 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:17pm
Truth exuberated from innocence! What a nice way to return home!
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post #4 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:24pm
Very nice compliment!
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post #5 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:32pm
lol...kids do say the darnedest things! What makes such a compliment so priceless is not only the boy's sincerity (kids are so honest) but also the fact that kids aren't usually biased by the pretensions of the day; they know nothing about what is mass market, niche, expensive or cheap. They know only what appeals to them, and in this case it was you.
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post #6 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:36pm
He was tryin' to suck up so you don't run them off.

jk
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post #7 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:40pm
@luis - dude, come on.
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post #8 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveJazz View Post

@luis - dude, come on.

Yeah, what's wrong with him?!
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post #9 of 35
8/2/10 at 12:55pm
10 yr old? Sure you weren't wearing a vetiver?
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post #10 of 35
8/2/10 at 1:01pm
That kid's got good taste! I would smile too if I were complimented by the kid. At least it's not a snow job.
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post #11 of 35
8/2/10 at 1:02pm
Good one! I love compliments stories
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post #12 of 35
8/2/10 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Le Grand Duc View Post

Yeah, what's wrong with him?!

Blowed if I know Your Royal Highness, but a measly 84 posts in over 3 years ?. Obviously got plenty to contribute.

We all love a genuine compliment no matter who it comes from.
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post #13 of 35
8/2/10 at 1:24pm
Love it. I must wear my sample of Eau de Lierre soon.
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post #14 of 35
8/3/10 at 12:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luis View Post

Sad if your self-esteem depends on what kids are saying. How old are you?

Sorry!

Oh Luis, you hurt my self-esteem even more! Oh my, whatever will I do with myself now? Oh the pain...
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post #15 of 35
8/3/10 at 12:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by perfaddict View Post

Out of the mouthes of babes, the truth always comes out.

Nice account.

Exactly.
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post #16 of 35
8/3/10 at 12:49am
Good taste, you and the kid. EAU DE LIERRE is a great stuff
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post #17 of 35
8/3/10 at 3:18am
Compliments...the icing on the cake.
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post #18 of 35
8/3/10 at 3:27am
And I was about to give up on the younger generation. There's hope yet!
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post #19 of 35
8/3/10 at 3:43am
  • MFJ
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Young children, they tend to say things as they are, with no agendas. It would have made my day.
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post #20 of 35
8/3/10 at 5:57am
This reminds me of the lovely story that Luca Turin tells about his first acquaintance with Guerlain Vetiver on the person of a slightly androgynous older woman. In Turin's case, the punch line is, "I was in love." But I don't think the story is really about sexual attraction (although on some level nearly everything is); it's really about a first experience of being aware of a personal style that conveyed something profound about the person:

"The first time I understood that perfume might require courage was when a family friend, a tall, handsome woman with an aquiline profile, short blonde hair, high colour on her cheekbones, a rasping voice and piercing blue eyes breezed into our Paris flat. I was nine, she was thirty-two, she wore tweeds and Guerlain's Vetiver for men. I fell in love."

Falling in love is easy when you're a nine year old boy (other ages, too); perceiving courage in an ordinary situation is more unusual. Anyway, who knows what this kid's experience was, but I tend to think that when kids are treated with patience and respect by strangers--and they often aren't--and that patience is combined with some other mark of style, of real personal presence, that those things can be stored away by kids as a sign that it might just be possible to grow up without losing your soul.
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post #21 of 35
8/3/10 at 6:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strollyourlobster View Post

This reminds me of the lovely story that Luca Turin tells about his first acquaintance with Guerlain Vetiver on the person of a slightly androgynous older woman. In Turin's case, the punch line is, "I was in love." But I don't think the story is really about sexual attraction (although on some level nearly everything is); it's really about a first experience of being aware of a personal style that conveyed something profound about the person:

"The first time I understood that perfume might require courage was when a family friend, a tall, handsome woman with an aquiline profile, short blonde hair, high colour on her cheekbones, a rasping voice and piercing blue eyes breezed into our Paris flat. I was nine, she was thirty-two, she wore tweeds and Guerlain's Vetiver for men. I fell in love."

Falling in love is easy when you're a nine year old boy (other ages, too); perceiving courage in an ordinary situation is more unusual. Anyway, who knows what this kid's experience was, but I tend to think that when kids are treated with patience and respect by strangers--and they often aren't--and that patience is combined with some other mark of style, of real personal presence, that those things can be stored away by kids as a sign that it might just be possible to grow up without losing your soul.

Most lovely read I have encountered in some time here. I love your thoughts, thanks.
DustB, I can visualize the entire scenario you described in my mind. Nice.

On a slightly different take but invloving kids of 8-12:
I live in a tree lined neighborhood in East Memphis; full of families, dogs, and stickers on Volvos advertising Private Schools; You get the picture. I walk regularly around the neighborhood for excercise and on weekends, there are always several houses that have kids out selling lemonade and such. Recently, I was approaching a group of 5 young boys doing just this. They were cutting up, being brats, and I was expecting to be shunned or the object of a good laugh as I passed. But as I approached, one boy turned and said...Hi Sir would you like to buy some lemonade? I replied that I had just started my walk and didn't really need anything. They nodded politely and then another said...We have some bottled water; you can just take one with you. I stopped and turned to them and thanked them kindly and said if they were still there on my way back I would take them up on it. They said OK and smiled.

An hour later, as I approached them, The one kid that initially asked me...already had a cold bottle of water in his hand and was eager to give it to me. I stopped briefly and spoke with them and they were all perfect little gentlemen. As I walked away, they turned into the little brats again, hitting one another, waving at cars to stop....When I returned home, I got in my car and drove to their stand and gave them 5 bucks realizing their act of kindness and unselfishness. They had to be rewarded. I see them every other weekend now and they call me Mr. Barry, and always are friendly and have great cold water for free...but now I always stick a couple of bucks in my shorts to give them.
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post #22 of 35
8/3/10 at 7:11am
Wonderful stories guys! Kids live in the moment with all the zest they could muster - something many adults have clearly forgotten. There's joy to be found even in the least expected places. Now let's take a look at that Eau de Lierre...
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post #23 of 35
8/3/10 at 7:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strollyourlobster View Post

This reminds me of the lovely story that Luca Turin tells about his first acquaintance with Guerlain Vetiver on the person of a slightly androgynous older woman. In Turin's case, the punch line is, "I was in love." But I don't think the story is really about sexual attraction (although on some level nearly everything is); it's really about a first experience of being aware of a personal style that conveyed something profound about the person:

"The first time I understood that perfume might require courage was when a family friend, a tall, handsome woman with an aquiline profile, short blonde hair, high colour on her cheekbones, a rasping voice and piercing blue eyes breezed into our Paris flat. I was nine, she was thirty-two, she wore tweeds and Guerlain's Vetiver for men. I fell in love."

Falling in love is easy when you're a nine year old boy (other ages, too); perceiving courage in an ordinary situation is more unusual. Anyway, who knows what this kid's experience was, but I tend to think that when kids are treated with patience and respect by strangers--and they often aren't--and that patience is combined with some other mark of style, of real personal presence, that those things can be stored away by kids as a sign that it might just be possible to grow up without losing your soul.

Lovely post, you hit it on the head there.
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post #24 of 35
8/3/10 at 7:48am
Great story Jocks!
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post #25 of 35
8/3/10 at 10:07am
Thread Starter 
Great posts, JWS and Strolly, and I couldn't agree with you guys more. I find that I hope I run into the kids sometime soon and in passing can greet the one with the good nose with a nod, a thumbs up, and a "hey what's up?" just like any good neighbor.
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post #26 of 35
8/3/10 at 1:34pm
Great stories, fellas.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Pipsta View Post

10 yr old? Sure you weren't wearing a vetiver?

LMAO, you're terrible.
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post #27 of 35
8/3/10 at 2:30pm
Great story, DustB! Seems like your fragrance was a factor, but so was your kindness. Always a winning combination...

I remember wearing Messe de Minuit during office hours once, and a couple of undergrads told me, "it smells like the most amazing incense in your office!" I said thanks but didn't explain it was something I was wearing. Made my day...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Emlynevermore View Post

Great stories, fellas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pipsta View Post

10 yr old? Sure you weren't wearing a vetiver?

LMAO, you're terrible.

Oh dear, what have I done??!!
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post #28 of 35
8/3/10 at 4:48pm
This is a Great story.....a compliment from a pre-teen is a huge plus.....I know that this made your day for sure!!!
Gary
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post #29 of 35
8/3/10 at 4:55pm
Eau de Lierre is what L'Eau Serge Lutens should have been. I may have to consider buying this again.
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post #30 of 35
8/3/10 at 5:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emlynevermore View Post

LMAO, you're terrible.

I see someone got the inside joke...lol, I thought it might slip by unnoticed.
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post #31 of 35
8/3/10 at 5:19pm
Dang basenotes lag! Double post...
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post #32 of 35
9/12/12 at 9:29pm
Gettin' espresso, chattin' it up with le barista. She says, "You smell really good. As soon as you walked in I was like, wow it smells awesome in here." She was at least 15 feet away so I'm thinkin' there was probably a breeze to carry the frag when i opened the door. "Do you mind if I ask what you're wearing?" I'm like, "Aventus by Creed."

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post #33 of 35
9/12/12 at 10:32pm
It's always nice to get a complement.
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post #34 of 35
9/12/12 at 10:42pm
Thanks to Dustb, samples of Diptyque's Eau de Lierre are going to sell like hot cakes. Hmmm..... I wonder how many basenoters went straight to the reviews section, after reading his account, to check this one out?. I know I did . lol
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post #35 of 35
9/13/12 at 4:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vortex View Post

It's always nice to get a complement.

Even if they're few and far between
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