Carolyn Hax, whose advice column runs in the Sunday paper, is one of my favorite features.

This last week a woman wrote her complaining that after six weeks of dating a man, he broke up with her by e-mail because she didn't offer to pay half of the dinner bill.

Carolyn sort of ragged on the guy for breaking up by e-mail. I have to tell you I did that once, but it was after one date with a woman whose three children delayed our first date by a month and then one of her kids interrupted our date because he locked himself out of the car. Too much interference for me.

But that's not the point of this blog. The point is —what are the rules about who pays for a date?

All my life it has been the man always pays. I don't turn it down if the woman wants to pay sometimes. It's different for friends -- that is a Dutch treat or an alternating obligation.

But is the current dating scene an equal obligation opportunity?

Posted by Steve E. Swenson