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The answer: No. You don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant, you don’t have to see an expensive show. After all, the essence of the date itself, should be romance and fun, something shared. And it’s not measured by what gets charged on your Visa Card afterwards. Right? Right…!
The keyword is comfy. Being comfortable around each other, comfortable enough to do something completely ridiculous. Something to look back on and have a high pitched giggle about. And maybe even tell your kids about someday. But that, is way ahead in the future.
Suggestion one: Pull that old suit out of the closet. Yank that black dress out of the mothballs. Get ready to go out in true Gala get-up. Then drive straight to a McDonalds, walk on in as if it is the most famous French restaurant in the Northern Hemisphere, and order two Children’s Happy Meals. Naturally, you can order other things, but just mucking about with the toy given is good for a bit of fun.
And, it gives for an instant reminder of a crazy but fun night. Only requirement is a minimum of dollars and a maximum of humour.
Spend a bit of time at a pet shop together. You can tell so much by how someone is around animals. Some people purr at kittens, or play with puppies. Others just look around and want to know when they can leave again. In any case, it’s an opportunity to learn about a person in an inexpensive way. And for dinner there might be a table free at the food court. The bottom line is, just have fun together…
Who lets a laugh roll freely in a posh restaurant? Worrying about which cutlery to use first takes precedence over the conversation. Just be able to be yourself, and put the other in a position to be him or herself too, without classy restrictions or nerves about etiquette.
Do what comes natural. Go to that dingy little place by the harbour. Not high cuisine maybe, but those chiliburgers sure do taste good. Take a walk by a pier if there is one. Go to the community’s theatre and watch the local acting club do their thing. Follow the river. Take a bicycle ride and have a bag of sandwiches and cans of pop hanging off the handle, and just find a spot to have a picnic. Walk through a (safe) park where you used to play as a kid. Go to a ballgame or whatever your particular cup of tea might be.
Conversation doesn’t cost anything but, it is what makes or breaks a relationship: right at the beginning, but onward from there too. Communication is everything. And to get that right, one thing you don’t want is tension. KISS applies: Keep it stupidly simple. Besides…Anyone can pick up a tab. Not everyone can make a memory with you, which you’ll smile about years later. Dry the single rose you got, it’ll keep for a long time. Get your picture taken with both of you smiling. It is the simple pleasures in life that give the most satisfaction. And for the best dates.
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