Transportation management in dating

No, you don’t have to pick your date up in a stretch limo to be impressive. What you do need to do is gas up and clean out your car (especially if you still smoke). Empty the ashtray, wipe down the dash, and pick up the lipstick that rolls to the front every time you hit the brakes. Use all five senses. If your auto smells like a locker room, spritz air freshener after you clean up. If it looks like you pass through a fast food drive-thru each time you hit the road, vacuum and scan for shriveled french fries and errant ketchup packs in the crevices beside your seat.
Unless you want your date to think you moonlight as a cab driver, take that dangling air freshener (and anything else that dangles above your dash) off the rearview mirror.
Many city folk, some youngsters, and future billionaires who’d rather spend time in front of a computer screen than behind the wheel don’t have a car. If you’re in that category, you can do the following:

• Have a (clean, undented) cab waiting.
• Plan to meet at the date destination.
• Rent a car.
• Borrow a car.
• Go somewhere within walking distance.
• Hire a car service for the night.
• Okay, impress your date with a stretch limo (but not on a first date).

There’s no shame to having no wheels. Where a reprimand creeps in, however, is when the “autoless” treat the “autoed” like chauffeurs. Don’t go there. Most importantly, don’t make your date go there to pick you up.