I'm from California, and recently, I was with my brother who was heading to a Robotics Competition in Las Vegas. I thought it might give me a way to try out pick-up in the field for the first time, as opposed to just talking about it and reading up on it with friends.

I usually use a rubiks cube as an interesting item because it attracts attention if the target or someone sees you complete it; my usual solve time is about a minute or less, so I figure it's worth carrying it around. I also generally solo-sarge.

So yesterday, I approached a set, ready with my rubiks cube. Casually, I just walked up to them but didn't look at them, focusing on solving. I solved it rather quickly and looked up to see their reaction.

The guy pointed the feat out to his friend (Target), and I asked her if she wanted to mix it a little bit. While she was doing that, she asked me why I was there alone. I said that my brother was at a Robotics Competition, and I was "being a supportive brother, or something like that." She laughed, and then concluded that I must be in high school, and asked me what grade. I said "11th." She asked what college, and I said "A little pushy with questions, aren't we?" But I answered that I wanted to go to the University of Iowa for Writers, and asked where she wanted to go.

She said that she wanted to go somewhere for psychology, so I immediately jumped in that I knew a friend who was interested in psychology, and that I had picked up a bit of handwriting analysis. So I asked her if she wanted to try, and she said sure, eagerly grabbing a pad of paper while I handed her a pen. She wrote down something, handed it back and scooted closer. I did the little routine and got it spot on. Afterwards, I looked at my phone and said that I my brother's match was starting and I didn't want to miss it, but asked if she had a number I could get her by. She wrote down her name and number. I texted her later that day when she'd left the competition; unfortunately she lived in Nevada, so I broke it off immediately. But it was good practice.

The next girl I approached (only other one, because there weren't many targets at a robotics competition) was young, and shy. So I asked her what team she was with, and she said one in LA, and I replied that I was with San Diego, but only because my brother was on the team and I was being supportive. It didn't go anywhere fast, and so I decided to attempt Day Gaming (which I hadn't previously ever tried in the field), and I said "Well, the main reason I wanted to come over here was because I saw this beautiful girl and I wanted to get her name," and she replied with a really quiet, awkward "Lauren." Seeing that I wouldn't get anywhere, I thanked her and walked away.

In hindsight, I should have just controlled the situation, and followed up the "beautiful girl" comment with "...but if you don't want to talk much, I guess I'll be on my way," and do the fake walk-away; if her response was any sort of hesitation or anything, then I might have stayed; if she said nothing, I would have done just that: walked away and found a new target. What would you have done? What other critique do you have?