Being a relative manicure newbie, I had absolutely no idea how long I was supposed to irradiate my hands. After a couple of other women had come and gone, I figured it was safe to get up.

All of this must've been quite boring for Dave, who was fully manicured within about ten minutes. His nails had been cleaned, filed and buffed to a soft glow. His cuticles looked to have been removed all together. He had allowed the nail technician to apply a single coat of clear polish to one of his pinkies, but determined that this was too much for him. Besides, if he had ultra-shiny fingernails he might accidentally blind an audience member at an upcoming show.

So what did Dave think of his manicure experience? “Honestly, this didn't feel girlie to me at all. This was almost like a medical procedure.

“I think if I'd gotten the clear polish, that would've been girlie. This felt like a very healthy thing to do.”

Once we had finally ascertained that my nails were dry, we went to have a celebratory beer. I noticed the other guys at the bar staring with a mild hint of envy at Dave's hands. Some even commented, “Dude, that will probably make you really popular with the girls.”

The next day at work, I caught Dave indulging numerous times in the tell-tale ritual of the first-time manicuree: extending his hands in front of him and staring lovingly at his fingers. Yeah, it's a good feeling.

So would he do it again?

“Yeah, I could see myself doing this again. It's a nice treat.”