As most of you know, I have no qualms about admitting that I am not the winner that most of the rest here are.
In my most recent trip, I was fairly cautious about spending big money on the ladies, especially for first dinners. I knew to do so would set the bar for future dates, a future life together, etc.
But, I made one exception that was a little bit planned and a little bit of spur of the moment. One lady was a physician, looked very classy in all of her pictures, had excellent English, etc. I showed up dressed to hilt and so did she. We looked very prosperous, she was very, very warm, so, I said what the helsinki, and took her to posh restaurant. Ran up bill big time, she ordered everything on the menu, or so it seems. But can't blame her . . . I took her there and said something like . . . have anything you want. I could tell she felt like being in heaven. She was probably thinking, 'this is the life I have always wanted and this is the life that a person of my education and postion should have.' She glowed through out the meal and continued to later that evening.
On two other occassions we also ended up at posh restaurants and ran up big bills. In fact, I spent more on her for three meals than I spent on 11 other ladies in all combined meals. Also spent big time for expensive ballets, etc. It just kept happening because it felt right at the time, and some of it was just circumstantial. I know it sounds crazy, but we would just happen to be near expensive restaurant when we got hungry; her most favorite ballet that she was dying to see just happened to be that night, etc.
As I say, I can't really blame this gal, but then again most of the other ladies shied away from expensive restaurants and ballets, indicating that they were 'too expensive."
Anyway, my screw up is coming home to roost because I am starting to plan another trip to a southern location with two or three of these gals as I did last year. This gal would be near the top of my list, but I know that it would break my bank to take her. Anything less than the first class way we went before will be a big let down for her and ruin the trip for both of us. Note, I never told her or bragged that I was rich. I just spent too much money on her. Also, the sad part is that I think she would have been just as happy if we had 'gone the cheap routes' the first time around, because as many of you know, the physicians don't make very much money there, and aren't used to big spending anyway. But now, she is used to it . . . at least with me.
I knew the appropriate procedure before . . . . don't spend big time for first meals . . . . but I violated my own rule. Now I am paying for it by having to eliminate one of my top choices. Don't see any way I can sell her on the idea that we can't spend that much money in the future. For the short-run on holiday together, she would be a sour puss, and for long-run, it would set up all kinds of questions in her mind about whether I was really a pauper, was I trying to 'buy her attention' on first dates, etc.
JR
