Go with what works: Flirt

Matt sidled over to Mrs. Fellers with his two glasses of wine.

"Looks like you're about out." He handed her one of the glasses.

"Yeah, thanks." She looked at him strangely, obviously thinking she recognized him but not able to make the connection between him at an art gathering all dressed up and his usual jeans and t-shirt look hanging with her daughters.

She gulped down the wine and he passed her the second glass.

She nodded. "I feel like I know you. Are you one of the artists?"

"Artist? Not hardly. No offense if you're one of them but I actually come to these events to network."

"Really?"

"Of course. I'm sure you've noticed that the cream of Los Angeles society is always at these events and, if you want to know the truth, not many of them care more about art than I do."

"That's certainly true."

"Tell me about yourself," Matt tried. "You look completely at home here but I sense that you're not really one of the typical L.A. snobs... you know, with their holier than thou attitudes and their fake respect for poverty when not one of them would consider anything less than a penthouse room in a hotel."

"You've got that right. A bunch of hypocrites is what they are. Still, where else can you go? New York is worse and the fly-over states." She gave a theatrical shudder. "Sure they may vote for the right candidates but really, nobody wants to actually spend time with the hicks."

Mrs. Fellers had, Matt realized, had way too much to drink. No matter what she thought, she was smart enough not to come out and say it... unless **** had completely turned off her normal social restraints.

"How about I buy you another wine and you can tell me about it?" he said.

"Why the hell not?"

Matt gestured to the recipient of his twenty buck tip and soon was holding another couple of glasses of wine, one of which he passed over.

"Maybe," he said, "we could find a quiet place to talk."

"It's a fucking museum. There are nothing but quiet places here."

"Lucky us."

"You know, I still think I know you."