People often recommend simply grabbing oneself by the stones, walking over confidently and introducing themselves. They say it doesn't actually matter what you say.

In my experience it does. Especially when they don't know you and you've just interrupted them.

This is how I always see it going:

[You spot a cute girl walking toward you in the mall and she doesn't immediately avert her gaze, so you walk over]

"Hey I hate to put you on the spot but life's short, you have a cute vibe and I would've regret walking past without introducing myself. I'm blah blah"

"In what fictional universe would I be even remotely interest in you? I'd rather give birth to an echidna than touch you. I'm jess by the way"

"Hopefully this one. So anyway Jess, what are you up to, doin a bit of shopping?'

"No actually I'm skinning a puppy... yes I'm clearly shopping... are you visually or just mentally impaired?"

"Ouch fair call. So how about this weather, I feel like I'm melting!"

"Yes well observed, we are currently experiencing a heatwave. You're still cold as fuck though"

"Oof. So have you got anything exciting planned for this afternoon?"

"Well I'll probably go and report you to mall security, then go round to by boyfriends house so he can fuck me senseless. How about you?"

"Ah sounds like fun. I'm probably going to go slice my wrists and lay in a warm bath now"

"Good idea. Make sure the slices are vertical, though"

"Will do. Anyway, I'll let you go - any chance I could grab your number first though?"

[Takes out her purse and hands you a card for the local psychiatric hospital]

"I think you'd have more luck over there."

"Much appreciated"

[You turn and shuffle away, defeated, before something possesses you to turn around]

"Jess, I won't forget this. I...I love you"

"love you too" [as you then notice she's on the phone to her partner]

Seriously, what the fuck are you supposed to talk about during a cold approach? Her clothes? Her shopping bags? Your hemorrhoids? Mel Gibson's anti-Semitism? Non-fungible tokens? The rape of nanking? Neil Strauss being a venal hypocrite scumbag?