In which I'm unable to do a David Bowie

We passed upon the stairs
I warned him to jump
The step that wasn't there
He looked into my eyes
And I flinched from his stare

I never quite knew
Which eye I should look into
When making "eye contact"
And I remember thinking
His smile never did reach his eyes -

I don't know what that means either,
But the skin crinkled in all the right places
Crow's feet and front teeth
Upturned smile and all the right lines
But the warmth in those brown eyes,
That looked black when
The light didn't catch them,
Was missing

I knew he wouldn't tell me
So I never asked
And we just went our separate ways
And never took off our masks