I am qualified to respond to inquiries about why some men do certain things (to the extent that any of us is ever qualified to report as a representative of a group we belong (or used to belong) to). However, nothing in my experience enables me to answer the question of why it seems that some men feel they have a right to flirt with you in the course of a routine business transaction. Yet, it happens all the time.
Today, I called University Health Services to reschedule an audiology appointment I had (yes, my friends, I am finally going in to have my hearing checked!) that conflicted with my attendance next week at the Lavendar Law Conference. The guy on the other end of the phone asked for my name and when I gave it he responded in a syrupy (is that a word?) voice: "Oh, Miss Denise! The one and only!" and then later when he tried to book the appointment at another time that conflicted I told him that I would be in San Diego and unable to make that one also. So he retorted: "Well, now, I just don't know if I'll be able to reschedule this if you aren't planning on taking me with you to San Diego." Trust me when I tell you that his tone wasn't conversational. He wasn't making small talk to fill the time while he searched the schedule for an available time.
What gives men the freedom to talk to women this way? When I was a man I never had women talk to me this way. Now, maybe that goes to my relative attractiveness... Nope, we won't go there.
[UPDATE] Note that this isn't the same as being ogled where one can pat oneself on the back for meausuring up to a construction worker's standards. In that case, I couldn't complain (just as I didn't complain about being told I had cute legs). ;)