In How to Win Friends & Influence People, one of the earliest chapters was about how important it is to smile. I was reminded of that yesterday by a weird situation I got myself into.

The Senior VP responsible for finance in my group (he pulls down one to two million dollars a year) has an uncommon last name that is the same as a girl I went to high school with. And he looks like he could be her father or uncle. One day we happened to be in the elevator and I gathered up the courage to ask him if they were related. No, he’d never heard of the girl, as would be expected, and then it was quiet. I can’t imagine what it was like for the guy to have some weirdo asking a question like that out of the blue, but I guess it was very-Seinfeld.

I’ve always worried a little about what would happen if I ever ran into the million dollar man again. Should I make eye contact? Would he remember a little peon (or is it minion?) like John? Would he want to?

Yesterday we were headed toward each other down a very long hallway. He saw me and gave me the biggest smile and waved without pausing. I know it sounds very cheesy, but getting a smile from the big shot I weirded out really made my day.