jake wrote:

> BTW, this happens around male friends. Never around female friends. I am
> happy to pay for people who have considerably less money than I. I'd
> rather spend a nice evening with them than worry about money. Especially
> if otherwise they couldn't participate in certain things. But that's a
> whole different issue, isn't it.

That's a nice thought once in a while. I have certainly done my share of
entertaining where I have provided food and drink for people knowing that it
would not likely be repaid in kind, but I enjoyed their company and it seemed
a small price to pay. However...... it is a different matter when it comes
to going out to a bar or restaurant on a regular basis and not only paying
their share, but paying the mark-up. Better to entertain at home.

I have had some eye openers. We were friends with a couple who liked to drink
and party (especially the male half), but who did not have the means. If they
came here he drank a lot, and if we went there I had to take a case of beer
or a few bottles of wine. I did not object when we polished of 3/4 of a
bottle of my Gran Marnier. Two weeks later we were at his place and he
apologized that he had nothing to offer. There was a bottle of Chivas under
the Christmas tree. I guess the Chivas was too good to offer to me, but the
even more expensive Gran Marnier was not too good for him.