What is the definition of a date?

I went to the movie yesterday with a guy I’d had a lunch date with a year ago. When I told a friend about this, I said, “I don’t know it was a date or not.”

“Did he ask you to the movie?”

“I don’t recall. We talked a few weeks ago and the movie came up and one of us said it would be fun to go together and talk about it afterwards.”

“Did he pay?”

“Yes, when I arrived at the theater he was already there and had bought the tickets.”

“Did you go somewhere afterwards?”

“No, we just stood in the parking lot for a half-hour and talked.”

“Was there physical contact?”

“Just a hug hello and goodbye.”

“Are you interested in him and he in you?”

“I’m not sure. I like his mind, but I’m not drawn to him physically. I’m not sure what he thinks of me.”

Was it a date? Who knows?

Commonly, dates are meetings in which you are exploring if you might be a good romantic match. So is meeting for coffee a date? Most likely. Is lunch a date? Probably. Is dinner a date? Nearly always.

One man told me that his definition of dating was when you had met a person a few times and both decided you wanted to pursue a relationship. Others feel that just meeting and getting to know each other is dating.

The bottom line is, who cares what it’s called. Just get out there and do it!