If we’d been dogs, maybe we’d have spent about 2 to 3 minutes sniffing each other, then spent the rest of the day doing the more important stuff — chasing each other, chasing cats or chickens or each other’s or our own tails. What fun!

As it is, most of us go through such unnecessarily complicated rituals just to get on familiar terms. What could be simpler? Give each other’s names,  ask if they want to do something (suggest something if they don’t; coffee or beer’s usually safe), then talk about stuff that you’re each interested in.

So if you want to meet someone, here’s my advice — Be the dog.