First Date Dos and Don'ts

Dave is one smart cookie, and I’m glad he’s on my panel. Of course, that doesn’t mean I always like what he has to say. When we discussed my present sitch (roller-disco guy and I have been going out), Dave was appalled at my reluctance to heed chapter seven of Behind Every Great Woman, "Keeping Your Romantic Pipeline Full of Men"—which he also calls "having a herd."

"But it takes so much energy," I whined. Dave nodded sagely. "And I’m happy with my current let’s-not-talk-about-the-future-and-have-as-much-fun-as-possible scenario," I argued. "Mmmm-hmmm,” he said. I knew by his tone I was in trouble. "It’s a noble thing to be a one-man woman," Dave went on, "but when you’re dating, there are benefits to a herd. In your case, you don’t want to sleep with more than one guy at a time, and you don’t have to. But having a herd would offer your current ‘situation’ (dare I use the dreaded R word?) context and comparison."

Context and comparison? Well, it’s kind of hard for a reasonable woman to argue with that—even when she’s really got a one-man heart.