PTT Rant

Last night, because my good friend Valerie was in town from New Jersey, we dined out at Rose Angelis. While everyone drank wine and mixed cocktails, I sipped water. I enjoyed a salad and shared a bit of food with the gang. When it came time to pay the bill, it was assumed we'd evenly split the end result. When my gal pal Val noted how I'd be irritated by the turn of events, someone noted that, "It all evens out in the end." This person then went on to say something to the effect of, "If you don't want to do it, then don't go out to eat." Okay, here I go.

For starters, I wouldn't mind splitting the bill so much if it wasn't ASSUMED it was okay to do so. When members of the party are enjoying three or four cocktails (and/or wine), with each costing between $8-$10, and your'e not, it adds up. So don't just automatically believe I'm alright with dividing the check evenly. At least make note (like my friend Patrick always does when he's around) that not everybody enjoyed food and beverages equally as much. That's the minimum that can (and should) be done. If so, I'd shake my head and say, "That's okay. No biggie." It's the automatic assumption that picks my nerve.

Of course, today I was thinking what I should have said in reply to the "don't go out to eat" comment. "How about this, why not next time I'll just put my items on a separate bill?" I could say. Sure, I'd get the looks. But those close to me should know by now how I feel - thus it shouldn't come as a surprise.

It's not that I'm cheap. I'm frugal. Growing up in Kansas, we shared sodas when dining out, and my mom noted every penny spent daily in a journal. So for me, no matter how well I'm doing financially, I'll always be a economical diner. I'm willing to pay for what I eat and drink, just not everybody else's gluttonous behavior.