Who Does That -- Part VII

Note: Sorry for going a little old school on you this time, but I recounted this story over the weekend and decided it would make a perfect Who Does That entry.

A few years ago, a very intriguing man asked if he could take me out on a date. Now I usually have a severe aversion to the pretty boy, but he made me laugh every time we hung out so I thought why not. I said to myself "Dana, why not give this arm candy thing a try? You know he makes you laugh and at the very least it's just dinner and a movie. Put aside his abnormal need to have every hair perfectly gelled and go. Besides a girl's got to eat and what better way than being treated to dinner by someone so easy on the eyes". Gawd was I ever wrong.

The night of the big date rolled around and, like any good woman, I spent at least an hour getting all dolled up. I put on my best sexy jeans, tight little sweater cut just low enough to be sexy but still leaving a little to the imagination (my momma taught me well) and some damn fine heels. Despite the expected first date jitters, at least I was looking good. This is every woman's first date duty, right? Just as it's the man's first date duty to have some chivalry, right?

7:30 rolls around; it's go time. Surprisingly I'm ready to go. (Shock, I know). Now one detail you should know is that this happened to be over Christmas break when I was home from college. That meant I was staying at my parents house. He knew I was staying at my parent’s house. He knew my parents were there. Yet, for some reason, when he got there he just honked! Oh no, I'm not lying. Not only did he not bother to open the door for me, but he never even got out of the truck. He fucking honked!

Here's what worse, despite my dad yelling "Who does that little fucker think he is pulling up here to take my daughter out and just honking?", I actually walked out the door and went on this date. A big Who Does That to me, huh? I was still in my very early 20s, not so much of an independent woman days though. If some man tried that today I would still walk out that door, but just long enough to walk past his truck, stop and remind him what he could have had if only he’d have had a little couth about him. Then I would continue on to a night on the town with my girls. But I digress.

After I got in the truck, that so rudely honked for me to come out and play, we went out to dinner. Now dinner was alright; even with his constant checking out his hair in the reflection on the picture frame above the table. (UGH, pretty boys. I didn't even do that). There was good conversation and he made me laugh, so I thought I could put the honking incident behind me. That was until the check came. No, he didn't make me pay. Actually, I could have dealt with that better. He pulled out a buy one get one half off coupon. What kind of cheap ass thing to do is that? If you don't want to pay for my dinner, just tell me. I can afford my own chicken strips at TGI Friday's thank you very much. (Choice of restaurants should have been another tell, I know).

I know you're thinking it can't get worse, but it does. First of all, because I allowed the date to continue. Secondly, because his idea of an interim dinner and movie activity was to stop at a dealership and look at trucks. Thirdly, because after I stuck it out through the random truck shopping he wouldn't let me pick the movie. Lastly, because he paid for the movie with a gift certificate.

Now don't get me wrong, I am by no means saying that a man should have to pay for everything all the time. But he was the one who asked if "he could take me out". Even if he doesn't understand the whoever asks pays concept, all he would have had to do was say let's go dutch, and it would have been perfectly fine. Paying with coupons and gift certificates is certainly not a way to make a girl feel special. If he was broke, but still didn't want me to have to pay, he could have been way more discreet about the coupons. Just flaunting them out there, felt a little like he was saying, "Listen woman, I want to get in your pants but am not willing to make any effort to do that". I sure as hell didn't spend over an hour having my Barbie makeover just to be treated like one of his buddies. His lack of effort certainly got him nothing. Not even a second date.

Who does that?