How to Woo

The Reverend Don Davidson doesn’t go for the concept “stingy in life, stingy in love.” In fact, he hoards love-life tips for his Communiversity class 101 Fun & Clever Ways to Get Noticed by the Opposite Sex. Although he has plenty of anecdotes and observations about getting strangers to sit up and take notice (such as how cookie mogul Debbie Fields met her spouse), Davidson’s not blowing his wad until he’s in front of an audience.

Davidson has some personal expertise in attracting members of the opposite sex. Twice married and twice divorced, he works as minister of evangelism and singles for Valley View United Methodist Church. But he emphasizes that his Communiversity class is nonsectarian. Love-hungry Christians should question the idea that God will bring them the right person, Davidson says. “My theory is that God gave us initiative to attract people to us. A tongue to talk, feet to move over to people, and a mind to be creative and clever.”

Cleverness — regardless of whether it’s divinely inspired — takes many different forms in the art of getting noticed. Davidson’s suggestions range from the basic (“If you see someone wearing a name tag, go up and start asking questions about that name!”) to the absurd. “If you’re in line at a cafeteria and you see someone you’d like to know, get out of line and stand next to the person and keep bumping his or her tray on purpose,” Davidson advises. “And then ask if you can sit together!”

That technique doesn’t seem pushy or potentially psychotic to Davidson, who insists that in order to really get noticed by someone who catches your eye, it takes “being extremely bold.” Sometimes it requires a tray as well.

Fortunately, none of the remaining 100 ideas involve cafeterias.