Text Messaging and Dating

Yesterday I saw a teen couple seated at a table next to mine in a coffee house, both diligently pressing their cell phones. I took it at first as a mere sign of the times; both rendered temporarily busy on a social activity by the host of other obligations that homo sapiens have either assumed or had heaped upon them. It seemed sad that their intimate moment should be summarily so interrupted.

However, a chance comment by one clarified the matter: they were on a date, and were communicating with each other by text messaging! They had merely slipped into old habits by talking!

Clearly, male-female encounters have progressed in the Oughts. Suddenly, though in my 20's, I feel a little old.

But, what logical implications should follow with this? Does the boy and the girl have to be in the same setting for them to date by text messaging? What if this starts occurring when they're at home? Should they dress up for their at-home text messaging date? Can you wear bunny slippers on a text messaging date? Should my mother be scandalized if I wore a shorty nightgown? I would insist, of course that the guy would wear a clean shirt, no offensive slogans, and not wear a hat.

And how would the good night kiss be managed? By text message? And, finally, how many text message dates should you have with a guy before you permit this kiss? After all, us Catholic girls don't want to be seen as "easy."