#25 His (Not So) Secret Talents

Nobody knows exactly what this "x-factor" is that caused girls to scream and faint when they saw Elvis Presley gyrating his hips or throw their panties on stage at Michael Jackson.  I obviously don't get it, as I have never felt compelled to drop dead at the sight of Brad Pitt or sling my unmentionables at Justin Timberlake.  (Regarding the latter, they were a rather expensive pair of undies.  Sexy back, indeed.)

This je ne sais quoi transcends into what some single girls and single guys look for when they're dating.  I know certain girls who only date guys in bands while some dudes I know only date girls who look like supermodels.  Fortunately for them, we live in Los Angeles where struggling musicians and aspiring models are a dime a dozen.

For the rest of us not pursuing rock stars or models or rock stars/models, we know things can be just as thrilling when we're dating medical malpractice lawyers or corporate accoutants.

Or not.

Okay, who am I kidding?  I imagine there are very few things more exciting than dating a rock star.  (I wouldn't know, I've only dated a trumpet player who is obviously NOT a rock star.)  I mean, look at Courtney Love.  She dated and eventually married Kurt Cobain and their life together (and even not together) was anything but a snoozefest.

Single girls like to fantasize about dating rock stars and this is why we like (not so) secret talents. 

What qualifies as a secret talent?  The operative word here is "secret."  It's not so much as classified information if everyone on your Facebook page receives a status update broadcasting your latest victory at a karaoke contest.

An example:

I once dated a guy who started a business in college that eventually folded before he graduated.  The local newspaper wrote a story about this lesson in trial and error.  It essentially served as a huge "job wanted" ad for him, and he was soon hired as one of Bank of America's youngest associates in the private banking arena.

I found this to be quite the accomplishment, but what I really found remarkable about him is the fact that he was a champion go-kart racer as a teenager.  When presented with the opportunity to pursue this skill professionally, he chose to attend college instead.  Seriously?

Another example:

I was over at this other guy's house one night.  His place is immaculate, but not creepy immaculate like American Psycho.  You know how they photograph homes for interior design magazines and there is always that room with a book tossed haphazardly on the couch, but you know they put it there on purpose and it probably took them ten minutes to figure out how to make it look like they DIDN'T put it there on purpose?  Anyway, so this guy had a guitar placed just so on a chair by the window.

Assuming he knew HOW to play the guitar (I mean, what kind of dudes leave a guitar hanging around if they don't know how to play?  Oh right, douchey poseurs.), I asked him what he could play.  He then proceeded to serenade me.  Swoon worthy?  Yes.

A not-so secret talent doesn't neccessarily mean he has to play an instrument or drive go-karts very fast.  It's a skill that he is humble about sharing, but he knows his aptitude is better than the average bear.  He's showing us that he's not just some other beer-drinking, sports-watching, video-game playing dude.  We're catching a glimpse about him that some of his friends might not even know, and this makes us feel trusted and a bit privileged.

Maybe he's not the next Justin Timberlake, but we might still end up tossing our undergarments at him.