Courting travails, the Xbox, Mace etc

There are some regular columns like "Ask Stella", "male call" etc in the Deccan Chronicle that
I like and follow without fail. Ofcourse, they would fall under the category "junk" if you go by
any test of news-worthiness or knowledge-addition. But, it is fun reading them & I guess that
also matters.

Anyway, I came across a particularly interesting 'male call' article a week ago, on the eternal
question of who should pay during dates - the guy or the girl. And the humorous way (esp.
the parts about Xbox, Mace, duelling etc) in which it was answered made it all the more
fun-to-read. Here it goes :

Ques : Is the guy always supposed to pay for the date? I’ve been out on a few dates with
this girl & she’s never offered to pay anything, even though she knows I’m no moneybag.

Ans : A few quaint Elizabethan-like customs have endured, like the practice of men paying
for everything. Oh, and also duelling. So the answer to your question is a qualified yes.
Guys are expected to pay, at least in the initial phase of the courtship. But contrary to what
you might be thinking (“I could be spending this money on a new Xbox 360?”), the girl isn’t
out to fleece you. She’s simply trying to get some insight into an important aspect of your character: Are you a cheapskate?

But it gets trickier after you’ve been dating a while. If she has a decent job & still never offers
to pay for so much as mints, you are allowed to question her motives. Which doesn’t mean
that if she does offer, you have to accept. Often, the correct response is “Thanks, hon, I've got it.” Of course, for all you know, she’s got nothing but a can of Mace in her purse anyway. But
at least she offered.

After a month or so, you should know each other well enough to say, “I’ll get the tickets if you get the popcorn,” or “Do you mind picking up the lunch tab?” That should be enough for her to dust the cobwebs off the Gucci. And if she still manages to head to the restroom to freshen up just as the check is arriving, well, maybe you should be looking for a new love. Or a dueling partner.
Article courtesy : The Deccan Chronicle.