Anyone who thinks flattery will get you nowhere should consider the case of Brett Westcott and Cameron Brown. The two Purdue University students have been riding their campaign of relentless pleasantries to cities north and south, to appearances on National Public Radio and Good Morning America, and to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Camden Yards, where they spent Monday afternoon telling people nice things about, well - just about any old thing.
"Sir, that's a very nice hat you have. ... I like that your shirt matches your shoes. ... I love your tie-dyed tank top. ... Love those blue sunglasses. ..."
For hours in the blazing sun, the two slim rising juniors in shades and shorts tossed verbal orchid after orchid into a continuous stream of passersby at the National Aquarium, near the World Trade Center, on to Harborplace, making their way to the ballpark.
Westcott, a civil engineering major from outside Chicago, launched this adventure on the Purdue campus early in 2008, standing out at the same spot every Wednesday afternoon with a big sign and complimenting everyone in sight. He wrote in this past Sunday's New York Times that he was seized at the outset with the urge to "do something nice."
Soon Brown joined the effort and the two kept it up every Wednesday at the same spot through rain, shine and snow. They have become known as the "Compliment Guys" and, aside from a few nasty gestures and dirty looks scattered along the way, they have been met by a gush of good vibrations that continued flowing in Baltimore.
"I love the floral pattern on your shirt. ... Hey, nice mustache. ..."
Nice mustache?
That seemed fine to the wearer of the salt-and-pepper 'stache, Tony Teoli of Newark, Del., who responded with a smile and a high-five, as suggested by the modest, hand-lettered sign the two young men carried: "FREE COMPLIMENTS -- (HIGH FIVES WELCOME)"
Teoli was waiting for tickets at the National Aquarium when he got the good word.
"They said, 'You, with the mustache.' Cool. That's awesome. Better an optimist than a pessimist."
They also got a high-five from Susan Schoenenberger of Howard County, owner of Mt. Airy Mattress, who was pleased the guys shouted out about her curly hair. They said something like "Hey, nice curly hair."
Did they really mean it? Does it matter?
"Who doesn't want free compliments?" said Schoenenberger, who was down at the harbor with her daughter, sister, nieces and nephews. "I can use as many as I can get."
