the secret lives of spitballs

an article in today's times (new york) tells of a new film from saudi arabia. in it there's a scene where:

"a character sends his phone number in a spitball to a woman, a common Saudi dating technique."

these are adult characters, not fourth or sixth graders, which either means we americans are damn precocious (not that elementary school spitballs or even high school ones had sexy messages tucked in 'em, but even without a number, their message...i love, ergo i tease...was clear). the or part of that either: an imminent run on straw wrappers cause tricks aren't just for kids (and thanks, riyadh, for that lesson).