Clueless

I learn something new every day it seems. Over the weekend, I learned more than I wanted to about the etiquette of dating, swaping gum, and invading your pesonal "food-space."

Saturday night I met up with some friends for a birthday dinner, George and his girlfriend Melinda and Lance and his wife Melanie.  I was really happy to see them. It had been a long time since we had all been together and it gave us a chance to catch up.  We met at an Italian restaurant and had yummy Lemontinis while we waited to be served.  When the food was brought out we waste no time and of course start eating! We don't mess around when we're hungry! So all of a sudden, I overhear my friend George say his meal is a bit cold, to which, Melinda proceeds to stick her finger in his food and indeed confirms, "Yep, it's cold, send it back!" WTF??? That's just gross!  The other couple, saw the look of disgust on my face.  Melanie smirked at me and also proceeds to stick her finger in Lance's meal.  Not to see if it was cold or too hot, but rather, just to annoy me.  Lance doesn't even bat an eye and continues to eat.  They all laugh at me and say I'm being too "prudish"  Really? I'm being prudish because I don't want your hands in my food?  Then they all start telling me about how "couples" married and not married, do this type of stuff all of the time.  "See what you have to look forward to?"  Lance interjects. "You've never done this with any of your boyfriends?" Melinda asked me.  Well now, let me think about it, what with the hundreds of boyfriends I've had and all.  "No! I never have!" I reply.  I don't even like it when people start picking at my food and start to eat it as well.  That's just rude.  I''m all for sharing and I will always ask if you'd like some of whatever it is I happen to be eating. But don't decide that you want some after I've already started eating it myself.  You're invading my "food-space" dammit!  There is such a thing. And it's needed just as much as personal space.

So anyway, throughout our dinner, conversation once again returned to me and my lack of knowledge in
the "Dating and Eating Etiquette"  department.  Apparently, it is perfectly fine to take each other's chewing gum and swap.  And it's also the "norm" to "Burp and blow" in each others' mouths.  "It's a form of affection."  Melanie informed me.  Never. Ever. I've never done that with anyone I've ever dated or hell, even slept with!  Have you? Am I the only one that finds this slightly repulsive?

I went home that night and called up an ex-boyfriend of mine.  We are still very good friends.  I recount my dinner conversation and he starts laughing.  "Eh, I'm not crazy about the burp and blow but the gum swap is not so bad. And the fingers in my food? No, that's a negative."  FINALLY! Someone with some semblance of reason.

Any others out there?