THE MISHEARD:

So you grab your girl
And you grab a cup of malt
And you're off to meet
In the middle of the dark
You say the Air Stick is smelling alright
So you pass to the left and you sail to the right

The story:

I wasn't too sure about the "Air Stick" line, so I looked it up and was surprised to see just how wrong I'd been on the whole verse. However, it still made sense to me. I figured they were in a bar or club...possibly enjoying a malt liquor beverage, hence "grab a cup of malt." It's usually dark in a club and since he seems to be attempting to woo an attractive female, why not recommend meeting up in the darkest place in the bar...or "the middle of the dark." (Which is far more poetic.) How about the "Air Stick" you say? Justin Timberlake is no stranger to selling out, so maybe this was some obscure deodorant he was pitching...and given the sweaty nature of dancing in a club, I'm sure it would be reassuring to know your deodorant was still "smelling alright." The following lyric still holds up if that was the case. You'd give a stick of deodorant a pass to both the left and right armpits, wouldn't you? It all still makes sense to me.