Here we go for round 3! This week's story was submitted to The Huffington Post by 28 year-old Jen from New York, for an article titled 21 First-Date Horror Stories To Remind You That Romance Is Dead:
"I had a date with a guy who has been asking me out for a while. We went out for dinner and drinks which he made me pay for myself (which is whatever...I can handle myself), but when we got back to the bar we had met at for drinks before dinner for him to return me to my car he leaned in for a kiss and I gave him a quick peck and he said 'that's all I get!?' And pointed...downstairs. Yup buddy that's all you get."
Wow...where do I even start on this one??!
Lesson Learned #1: Be A Gentleman!
I'm going to approach this a little differently than I have in my previous posts. Usually my lessons learned are aimed at the lady in the scenario, but this time I'm talking to the fellas!
Jen mentions this guy had been asking her out for a while. Makes me wonder if Jen had been putting him off for a while for some reason she doesn't mention. Regardless, he eventually wore her down and she agreed to go out for dinner and drinks. So why in the world did he make her pay?! In my opinion, the guy should absolutely cover the cost of the first date. No exceptions. That doesn't mean the first date has to be elaborate or expensive. I've said before a great date could be a walk in the park followed by a picnic while watching the sunset. What's more romantic than a beautiful sunset??
It irks me that this guy pursued Jen "for a while" and then made her pay for her own dinner and drinks. Guys, if you're not ready to treat a woman like a queen on that first date and make her thankful she eventually agreed to go out with you, don't even bother asking her out.
I really feel this is where we as parents come in. We have to raise our little men and women to truly understand the appropriate way to treat and be treated by the opposite sex. But that's another blog post for another day. Stay tuned for that coming soon!
Lesson Learned #2: Be Prepared
Clearly, Jen is a smart girl. She came prepared to pay for herself in the event the guy chose not to pay for her. The issue of who will pay for the first date can be a difficult one, and is not usually discussed prior to the actual date. I've always assumed the guy has it covered. However, I always have my debit card handy just in case. A few years ago I went on a second date with a guy to a barbecue spot I recommended. He had mentioned in one of our phone conversations that he loved barbecue so I knew he'd love it. I got there late and he already had a table. It was one of those places where you order at the front and they bring it over to you. So when I got to the table, he says to me "How about you go and order the food and I'll hold the table". In my mind, I'm thinking hmmm...shouldn't that be the other way around? As in I hold the table and you get the food? But I rolled with it...and ended up paying for his meal in the process. Thank God I had the money to take care of it. It's not that I minded paying for him, it was the fact he made it to where I had no choice. Fellas, don't be that guy. When a woman is ready to say "It's cool, I got it", she will. And if she doesn't, then maybe it's time for you to rethink whether she's the one for you. There's another blog post idea...
Lesson Learned #3: Avoid Getting Physical On The First Date
I told you Jen is a smart girl. Homeboy leaned in for a kiss and she gave him a quick peck. She knew her comfort level and stuck with it. But he had the nerve to take it a step further and insinuate that he expected more! So not only did he make her pay her own way, he expected her to give up the goods as well! Where the heck did Jen find this guy??
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| Kinda crude but 100% true. Being asked to go dutch on a first date is not sexy. |
As a rule, I don't kiss on the first date. In fact, the majority of my first dates have been so platonic that kissing was the last thing on my mind. Occasionally, the only thing on my mind after a first date is getting in my car and pretending the whole ordeal never happened. That said, I have had a couple first dates where the connection was so strong, it felt natural to make an exception and end the evening with a kiss. But that's about as far as it went. A true gentleman doesn't expect anything more than a kiss on the first date, and certainly doesn't behave as though he's entitled to more when the woman refuses.
I think it's important to keep things as platonic as possible for the first several dates. As women, we are naturally more emotional than our male counterparts. If a man kisses or touches me in the right way, next thing you know I'm planning a wedding and picking out names for our babies. And that, my friends, only leads to disappointment when you learn who he really is and maybe that he's not as into you as you thought. I know this from experience. Take the time to get to know him and make sure he's worth your time and effort before you commit to becoming intimate with him. It is so worth it in the long run.
Do you agree with my "lessons learned" from this week's dating nightmare? Comment and let me know if you have any other suggestions!
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