So, I'm out at a restaurant hanging out with a friend and getting to know his family and friends a little better. I'm checking out the menu being pretty aware of prices of the things I had my eye on because I always try to be respectful when it comes to what I'm ordering if someone else is paying (I mean, that's just me. I know some of you all wouldn't think twice about ordering that $40 filet mignon and darting your eyes at the dude if he looked like sneering at your choice).
But my friend exchanged looks with his father and then said he wanted to ask me the "C" question. So I'm like, what the hell is the "C" question? He then smiles and asks me:
"If you were out on a romantic dinner with me and everything was going great and when it came time to pay for the meal, I pulled out a coupon. Would you let me take you out again or would you lose interest because you believe that's lame?
And I'm like well shoot, that's an interesting question. But more so interesting because of the reactions of his lady relatives. The majority of them were like, "HECK NO...I would dump him. That's tacky and I would look at him like he's crazy for being that blatantly cheap in public". And I'm like "DAAAAAAMNNNN! There was emotion behind these responses!" So, the father proceeded to give his opinion on this matter after I said "I personally wouldn't mind". He was basically calling me a "keeper" because I understood the concept of being smart with a dollar. He looked at the females in his family getting hyped over the question and told them that he can't figure out why they have a man at all.
This brings me to the question stirring in my brain. Is something like this really a big deal? Is it that important to appear a particular way when you are courting a woman? Does this requirement come along with the other sporting events in the early dating stages? Am I not in a high enough tax bracket to even understand why this matters?
If I was on a date at a top-notch restaurant with Mark Zuckerburg and he pulls out a coupon to pay for our meal (ok...nevermind I would slap the far-sided out of his eyes...he could buy the whole restaurant like 100 times... ol' rich bastard). But seriously, isn't this a classic example of people who try to "keep up with the Joneses"? If I'm the type of person to use a coupon, why should I have to hide that from a date or anyone just to appear like I'm working with more money? I believe I have an issue with this more because of how women usually say they want honesty in a man and genuineness, but if he "kept it real" and pulled out a coupon to save a few extra dollars, he's violating? Soooo...it's okay for him to front in public as long as he doesn't blatantly lie to your face? I just don't get it.
Help me out everybody. Maybe I need an etiquette class or something.
