Dating rules may change; dads don’t

My husband loves to tell a story about his buddy, Dave. Dave’s daughter had a date with a new boy. When the young man arrived, Dave greeted him at the door. “I’m working on something in the kitchen,” he said. “Come on in.”

The boy followed Dave, only to discover that he was in the midst of cleaning his shotgun.

Being an avid outdoorsman — not to mention the father of three girls — Jim appreciates the not-so-subtle message in his buddy’s welcoming gesture.

In fact, Jim promises our daughters he’ll be similarly occupied when some brave boy rings our doorbell. Usually, his fantasy of intimidation generates sighs and eye rolling.

Or this: “That’s great dad. Threaten the first guy who finally asks me on a date.”

Our girls just don’t understand how hard it is to be a dad to a daughter.

On the one hand, dads of daughters feel immeasurable pride in the lovely, talented young women growing up under their roofs.

On the other hand, dads know what boys have in mind.

Recalling the lewd and lascivious ideas that occupied their own thoughts when they were teens, they can’t bear the notion that their innocent, unspoiled girls might play the starring role in some boy’s dream of romance.

In my husband’s case, the idea that our daughters willone day end up in the arms of some undeserving boys makes his face scrunch up in painful horror.

Of course, as our girls often remind Jim, this isn’t something he needs to worry about yet.

It’s not that they wouldn’t enjoy being asked to school dances, movies or casual restaurant dinners. It’s that high school dating — in the manner my husband fears — doesn’t happen much anymore.

I’m convinced the last time a boy called a girl on her home phone and, with voice cracking and palms sweating, invited her to a school dance, was in the 1973 classic movie “American Graffiti.”

What does happen is this:

A school dance is announced, and right away, the guys and gals who already are “coupled” make plans to go together. (Even though this is something they obviously will do, an elaborate asking scenario is required, involving surprises left in lockers and announcements made in public.)

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