Honour Among Thieves

You've all heard this saying, right ?  That even corrupt or bad people sometimes have a sense of honour or integrity even if it is skewed.  So if two unsavoury types show up at the same time to rob a pizza joint they'll play rock/paper/scissors to figure out who goes in first.  Or, they split the loot.  Sweet. 

So, if we have honour among thieves, why can't we have honour among daters ?

The honour of treating each other like normal human beings who actually treat each other like human beings.  Who return phone calls, act considerately and don't make the whole thing one big guessing game.  Surprisingly (or not, depending on how long you've been in this "game") this borders on revolutionary thinking.   If you ask me I'd rather fall into a coma right after meeting someone decent and awaken at year 2 of a solid relationship.  Admittedly this is wishful sci-fi thinking, so let's deal with the cards we have.  It's likely I'm not your cup of tea (and kudos to you for figuring this out after a drive by coffee date!).  It's also quite possible I'm not a great date.  But, you know what ?  I know for certain I'm a damn good human being.  So, treat me like one.  Last I heard, reported cases of missing persons in the city have not skyrocketed.  Mysterious deaths are not on the rise.  These are the only two excuses for not returning a phone call / email or taking (asking! soliciting!) a number and not dialing it.  I know, harsh, harsh, harsh.  Mean, mean, mean.  Hardly! Hardly!  Hardly!  It's called common courtesy.  Remember that? 

Aside from retreating into a cave (and I did wrestle with that after seeing Blue Valentine),  it's impossible to avoid this type of rude boy behaviour.  I do chastise my guy friends when they are dumb enough to admit they've done this.  So, I've helped someone.  I hope.  The weird thing is, I never want to get used to this type of crap.  I never want to think it's okay.  I don't want to shrug it off.  I will not let it quash my romcom dreams.  I always want it to make me mad when it happens to me and completely outraged when it happens to my friends.  And it isn't because you were the necessarily the guy for me and you should have given me a chance, dammit !.  It's because as soon as it fails to bug me and as soon as I fall into an apathetic blah about it, I, have lowered myself to a place well below the earth's core where humans do not tread.  A place where we no longer acknowledge each other for what we are :  human beings with feelings who deserve to be treated with honour and respect. 

Even the guys at the pizza joint can do that.  Why can't you?