Bring Your Own Meat

I've been having pre-date jitters, so I was happy when I got the customary phone call to confirm plans. I needed to know how to dress, so I asked where we were going for dinner. He handed me a real shocker. We will be going to the home of some mutual friends, who will be grilling on their terrace. A "Last BBQ of the Season" soiree. It is a BYOM party, where guests who are carnivorous are expected to bring their meat of choice. Has this been going on in society while I was sequestered in the Corn Belt, or being an agoraphobe in Manhattan? Is this common practice now?

When we were young & penniless, my roommates & I had a lot of "rent parties." Guests brought their own booze & dropped a donation in the rent jar upon entering. They actually got to be quite popular. In one year, I think we got out of paying rent for 8 months. Not a bad setup, friends coming over to get us drunk & pay our rent. We did prepare spectacular buffets, though. And there was no lack of live entertainment with that bunch.

I've wondered if this meat party is because the hosts simply cannot afford to buy beef for a great many people, or if the practice is now chic. I was astonished. Now there are additional problems. Believing that my date will get something humongous & fatty to one-up the other males (an example of Que es mas macho,) I suggested that I select the meat. He argued that I will get something small & prissy. Our first fight. We finally agreed to go to the store together. The second problem....if we get very good cuts of meat, are we being pretentious & will the others feel inadequate with their burgers, hotdogs, or sausage? If we take non-pretentious meat & they all have Kobe beef & filet mignon, then we'll resent them & behave badly.

Dating is a tricky & confusing business.