This is Michael. What you just read is not exactly how I recall the story of S plus M. Here is my more accurate version…

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One evening I decided to out with my friend and his girlfriend.  Our destination was a contemporary lounge / bar / restaurant located in Costa Mesa with this wonderful retractable roof.  I arrived and noticed that it was busy, yielding only seats on the wall near one of the fireplaces.  What I noticed more importantly, was this girl seated with what appeared to be a birthday party.  I asked my friend if he noticed her, partly because he wasn't paying much attention to what I was saying, Hey!, did you notice that girl?  He stated, Oh I noticed her right when I sat down.

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Shortly thereafter, I did manage to catch her attention with my radiant charm and good looks and she looked over, for about 2 seconds.  And the expression on her face was unmistakable.  "Don't bother me - not interested."

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Oh course me being me I read, "I'm playing hard to get."

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I approached her, started talking to her, and noticed immediately, she's a sharp one.  I went on to investigate by asking her friend Mimi if she was single and she informed me she was. 

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Unknowingly to me the birthday girl's 2 brothers found her just as attractive as I did and wanted to keep her attention to themselves.  I got into a tug of war, literally.  One brother holding on to her from the back, myself holding onto her arm, and the other brother holding onto her from the front, and at this point he mentioned it would cost me $200.00 to talk to her. Still to this day I can't quite figure out where he came up that number, alcohol induced evidently.

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I calmly stated to the 2 brothers that I wasn't going anywhere so they might as well give up.  I don't think I really persuaded them, it was just at this point their drinks looked more inviting than arguing with me.

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I proceeded to talk with Sophie for the next half hour and asked her for her number. She swiftly replied..... I don't give out my number.

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Once again me being me, I continued to talk and a minute later asked again. She looked confused and stated.....  I don't give out my number.

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Most people at this point would have asked, why not?  Well not me.

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I continued to talk and another minute later asked again.  Looking perplexed and with an exhausted sigh she said fine.... give me your card.  I said, cool, here.  Now can I have your number?

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At this point I'm not sure if she thought I was the most persisted person in the world or slightly retarded.

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She paused, and instructed me to get her a pen, knowing more than likely that I didn't have one.  I made my way through the lounge, to the bar, only to find the only pen was in the hands of a highly inebriated guy attempting to sign his tab.  In what felt like 7 minutes ( was more like 15 seconds ) I grabbed the pen, rushed back, and she wrote her number on the card.

I still keep that card today.

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About 20 minutes later my cell phone rings.  Mind you this is very late in the evening, and I notice it is a South Orange county number and answer, Sophie?  She hesitated and said, yes.  I asked her, Why are you calling me so late?  She hesitated again and explained, "I wanted to call your work number to figure out how to pronounce your last name since you had stated no-one can get your last name correct."

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She anticipated a voicemail with a recording of my name and voila, she would know how to pronounce it. She didn't anticipate it being forwarded to my cell phone.

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At this point I knew she liked me, even if she didn't.

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P.S. I came to find out 3 months later she had a pen in her purse the whole time.