When people accuse me of being a smart-ass I usually respond with:
“Would you rather I act like a dumb ass?”
I was once told by the chairman of my former company that he really respected my integrity, honesty and ethics. In the Internet biz, that kind of compliment goes very far.
A couple months ago, the waitress at a restaurant said to my husband and me, “Your children are very well behaved.” 
Back in high school, my boyfriend was driving a friend of his home from soccer. I got out to let the friend out of the backseat, and he said, “Andy, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but your girlfriend has a great ass.”
Andy’s face turned stony and he said, “As a matter of fact, Jamie, I do mind.”
He He. Nothing like having 2 guys fighting over ya.
Here is my Favorite:
“If you put your mind to it, You could be very dangerous.”
The nicest compliment I ever received occurred on the last day of school during my freshman year of high school.
A female acquaintance of mine was moving to another city in the state, so she wouldn’t be going to the same school in the fall.
I was in the parking lot, walking to my bus, and she tapped me on the shoulder, so I turned around.
“I’ve never told you before, but you have really nice lips.”
Then, out of nowhere, she gave me a big, long kiss, and walked away.
Never saw her again.
Damn, she was good looking, too. (not that I’m not good looking, I’m hot)
I’m checking around here and find this thread:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=40088
what an honor.
My son gave me the same sort of compliment once, too, he said “You’re part of the solution, mom” Made my little heart go pitter pat, til, of course, he mentioned “too bad it doesn’t pay well…”
Following a debate on religion, in which I took my customary “con” position, my opponent asked a friend of mine why I felt like I did (apparently, he still didn’t understand). My friend, a Methodist himself, answered, “Because he thinks.”
Don’t know if this is the coolest, but I was told this today and it made me laugh:
I was seeing an older patient who is a little uninhibited due to brain damage. We said goodbye and shook hands. With pure astonishment in his voice, he said, “Goddamn, you’re strong! Do you arm wrestle?”
For his spring term comments on my performance in Modern European History AP, my teacher (who was also the director of the school’s Glee club and Madrigal group) focused not on my performance there (in class) but said this (in different words): “HK had an all-star term in glee club and madrigals. In my opinion, he is the best singer in this school.” This from someone who could have given up his career as a teacher to be an opera singer, and who also worked with a kid who a lot of people (not me) hink will be on broadway some day soon.
Then a friend of mine, online, said something to the effect of “I can honestly say that what you’re saying is what every girl would want to hear.”
In a life where I wasn’t accepted by a lot of people until college, those are nice.
When I was in 8th grade, the smartest guy I’d ever known said…“You’re brilliant”. Thanks Todd!
Some guy in a chat room said I was “A STONE FUKKIN FOX!!!”
A friend of mine who was leaving school the next year signed my yearbook with lots of amusing things, and in closing wrote “Life will be a very great deal less weird without you.” Yes, I know he liftes this directly from a Douglas Adams book, but I like it.
Lifted, not liftes.
When I was in High School (a veeeeerrrrryyyy long time ago) a friend of mine told me that she admired me for the way I always stuck up for the ‘under dog’.
(It doesn’t sound like much - but it meant alot to me.)
I got my hair cut 2 weeks ago. It was down the middle of my back. I cut it really short. I have had a half dozen or so people tell me it makes me look about 20. I am 29 and heading towards a 30 year old panic… so this made me feel great!
This is the first one that pops into my head, so that means it’s probably the best.
My eighth grade history teacher told me that I was the most memorable student he’d ever had. And yes, I got an A in the class, so it wasn’t because I was such a screwup.
The greatest comment I ever had was perhaps one of the oddest comments:
My girlfriend at the time had been getting me horny all night. And as we drove her home, she start playing with my cock. Unfortunately, I got incredibly aroused and lost some seed.
We got her to her driveway and then rushed to the backseat. I tore her clothes off and put my dick into her. I started losing my virginity right then! And I was so happy! Not to mention - horny.
Well, I was going and going and getting more tired as I went! Finanly I just gave up without cumming! It sucked total balls!
yet, she gave me the greatest compliment I may ever know: “Oh my God, you can’t be a virgin. It’s so good!” Of course, it probably was a lie. Yet a good lie.
-crispix is getting ready to leave the room
Two compliments come to mind.
A short time ago, I ran into an acquaintance from my first years of college - some ten years ago. We chatted for a few minutes, and as we went our seperate directions, he said “Nice to see you. You’re lookin’ good.” I didn’t realize the depth of the compliment until later when I remembered he is gay. Ain’t nothin’ like a gay man complimenting your looks to lift your spirits.
The other is from me and Mrs. Tonk’s how-we-met story. We first saw each other in a store grocery shopping, and as I was walking to my truck, she intercepts me with her truck with the window rolled down. (I’m thinking Bugle Boy commercial - I’m gonna be looking really stupid real soon.) She says “I saw you in the store and you have the most incredible ass. I just have to know if you’re married.”
My first assignment in the Air Force was at Ramstein airbase, Germany. When I left, several people commented to me “You’re leaving. What will we do to keep sane now?” (or words to that effect). It’s nice to know you’ve made a difference.
~~Baloo
I once had a young lady tell me, “You have the heart of a woman.”
But my favourite comliment ever was when my daughter (she’ll be three in November) patted me on the arm and said, “Daddy’s a nice man.”
In high school I was an extremely mediocre hurdler on the track team. In one pretty big meet I was running the 300s, and on the final stretch, right in front of the stands, I tripped on a hurdle and fell. Got up and finished the last couple of hurdles (not sure why, everyone else had long since finished). Afterwards one of the studs on the team (star running back on the football team, could win any event from the 100 to the quarter) said to me, “That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.” Whether he meant it or not, it really made me feel not quite as lousy as I did. And I still remember it 21 years later. (A little sad to think I have to go back so far to dredge up a compliment, tho.)