Encounters at a Vitamin Cottage

Internal dialogue: Wow. He's totally my type. Thin, looks like a runner, tall, about 30. Yep, definitely my type. No ring. I should say something. He's looking at vegetables, maybe I'll just walk over and see if he notices. Ohmigosh he looked right at me and smiled. Let's see if I can bait him into a conversation by looking at these grapes. Nothing. Damn. Time to bail. But I have to take the grapes or it will just seem too obvious. I didn't really want grapes, but I'm in this far....

(a few minutes later on the "nuts" aisle...he's walking past me again with an armload of broccoli to put in his basket)

Internal Dialogue: What's your sign? (no that's stupid) What's your name? (too lame) Do you make six-figures? (too "Denver") I spent today upside down in a pool on a kayak. (too obvious)
External Dialogue: You're smart.
Him: What?
Internal Dialogue: Shit.
External Dialogue: You're carrying around a basket while I'm stuck juggling all of this.
Him: (insert something nice and witty that I'm not really sure of because I'm too nervous to truly listen)
External Dialogue: Haha. Well see ya' later.
Internal Dialogue: Right. I'm never going to see this guy ever again in my life. I'm such a pansy.

Why is it that we know our "type" from a mile away? Why do we even "type" people in the first place? I'm pretty sure this guy and I would have worked, but I'm not really sure why I know that. Obviously, I'm single, so I've been very wrong about this before and spent plenty of time chasing after the wrong "type," but for some reason I just know what I want. I just don't know exactly how to go about obtaining it.