by Bridget Webber

Created on: November 19, 2008   Last Updated: January 10, 2009

It always used to be the case that a professional male had few dating problems. He could pick up his date in his shiny new car issued to him from work, safe in the knowledge that he was in the driving seat in several respects. Nowadays the modern professional male has allot more to deal with than choosing which restaurant to dine in with his lucky lady and whether she will want him to meet her mother. This is because the modern woman has plans.

Somewhere along the dating line women were told to play hard to get. In between business meetings and sending faxes the professional man now has to find out the rules of the dating game before he's even allowed to pass go. When he's phoning to attempt to make a date he must expect that she will let his voice trail onto the answer phone as she listens while pretending to be out. He must do this several times before she actually picks up the phone.

Once the ordeal of managing to arrange a date is over the next task is finding out where she would like to go. It's no longer acceptable to only go out for a meal and a movie. Now women want to go to art galleries and swanky wine bars or salsa clubs. After a long day at the office a professional male may be expected to shimmy on down to calypso music in a tight vest, when what he really wants is a belly full of delicious food and a night cap.

When he does go for a meal with his date he may face a dilemma. Will his modern date want to go dutch with the bill in order to feel equal to him? Or will she want to be treated and feel affronted if he doesn't pick up the check automatically himself. Indeed, the waters of dating are filled with such dangers that the professional male needs to face.

Then there is the networking business to deal with. When his date accompanies him to social get togethers with his contemporaries will she be constantly on the look out for a better catch? Is she, infact, predatory herself?

If she isn't that way inclined and is terribly nice will she feel intimidated, or worse still, bored, by business banter and the usual small talk which accompanies gatherings of professionals? Will she begin to sigh and frown while he attempts to steer her away from his contemporaries who are eyeing her up themselves as they discuss the financial index?

After the actual date comes, perhaps, the most difficult problem of all. Will she expect to be dropped home promptly at eleven and be happy with a peck on the cheek? Or will she invite him in for coffee? And if so is this a test which he must choose the right answer to in order to prove that he is worthy of her company?

The next morning he has to decide whether to call her straight away. Whether he does this or waits until the following day he probably is going to have done the wrong thing. Calling before breakfast would make him look too keen. There again it may make him look responsible and caring. Calling the next day would make him look too casual and uninterested. But then again, it may spark her interest and make him seem mysterious. What a dilemma.

Once the professional male has made it over the first dating hurdles you may imagine that he's safe. Not so. You see the modern woman often then needs approval from her soul sisters who will promptly be invited on a date with him in order to check him out. To pass this test he needs to be quick as a gazelle and as sharp witted as a hyena. He will be asked questions which he isnt prepared for and his behaviour will be scrutinized for faults.

Dating for the professional male has become an intricate business in itself, taking up much needed office space in his brain which is already crammed to the brink with his daily work schedule. Who ever said that men can't multitask?

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