What can I say?

I suppose that all I can do in light of the situation is to give him what he apparently wants and not contact him again. There is a small thought circling round and round in my mind. Maybe the problem isn't exactly with me, but with him. Telling him that I liked his book must have appealed to his sense of pride, but when the compliment was finished, and his sense of vanity wasn't appeased any further, he lost interest in talking to me.

Men like having their egos stroked, after all. I knew that. But if he even requires that as his price for friendship... well, I guess I'm not going to accomodate him. Is that what you have to do these days, to have friends?

For some, I suppose. I do know that my friends from work are not that kind of people. They've never really asked anything of me... maybe it is a primarily a male trait.

At least I know I'll never have to go through that stupid shaky hands thing. If I get an opportunity, I think I'd like to say something like this "I have to be careful how often I come in here, or ______ will think I'm stalking him." So much the better if he's not in earshot, then whoever I say it to can have a laugh before making him feel utterly stupid.