I consider myself to be a pretty upbeat and friendly person. People generally catch me in a good mood and, when it comes to just being around, I think I give off a nice vibe.

But there's a trademark dirty look I have, reserved only for the most egregious offenders. I don't actually say anything, but judging from past results, the Look is true Manhattan grade. And I finally had the occasion to use it on Saturday evening at the gym.

The target? Who else? A cell phone yapper. There I was, enjoying my Bruce Hornsby studio playlist to decompress on the cross trainer after a busy (but fun) afternoon, and the person facing me started babbling on a cell phone. The first call was short. Then, after a break of a few minutes, a long and rather irritating conversation started. Even with my aspirations of running a zero-tolerance gym, I generally try to give the person a few minutes' grace time. When the grace period elapsed, it was time for The Look.

But that wasn't the best part. The cell phone yapper, visibly shaken by this Look, had begun ending the call. And then the cell phone yapper turned in another direction, only to be the recipient of an even dirtier look from the woman on the adjacent elliptical trainer. Now completely cornered, the cell phone yapper immediately scurried out of the gym.

Unfortunately, I can't recreate this look on demand; it is a reflexive response to circumstances. Like when cell phone yappers screw around with one of my workouts.