I was in a cocktail reception at a university, sitting in a table with Alain de Botton. I was awkward but charming. Alain was distant, but I drew him in because I knew many details of his life in Mexico, and I stitched it together into a good narrative. He then invited me out for the evening to an expensive restaurant. The owner of the restaurant, a friend of mine, was there. There was an awkward moment, because she attempted to kiss me on both cheeks, and I expected only one in the Mexican way. I diffused the awkwardness by joking about it, and we all laughed.