Gentlemen?

Was having lunch with a close girlfriend of mine and she happened to share a personal experience with me...
Call me old fashioned but I believe that on a date..the guy should generally pay for food or drinks etc...
Not that we can't afford it but isn't it a show of being a gentlemen?

Anyway..what happened was this...

He asked her out for a date.
She agreed.
They went for Dim Sum.
He told her she had only S$4 in his wallet.
Which maybe meant he should have gone to the atm before meeting to get more cash!!
Mai Bpen Rai (Nevermind), the Dim Sum place accepted NETS *woo-hoo* you'd think no excuse le right? I had thought so..but nnnnoooooo.......
She had a drink and 2 dim sum (which she offered and he accepted to share) and he had a drink and 1 dim sum.
Time for the bill.
His profession was an accountant so it's (probably) normal to scrutinise the bill.
He took the bill and my gf thought he'd pay.
NO!!
He took out the $4 and passed it to my GF saying that its his share for the food!
The bill was less than $13 in total.
I asked if this guy was poor or was changing jobs or a student etc?
My GF said that he was actually doing pretty ok and could well afford the meal.
In the end, she paid for it and told him to keep his share - he did.

Ok, fine. Once bitten twice shy right?
NO!
She gave him the benefit of doubt and went on a second date with him.
My God! Babe..I ask you here again..you ok or not!??! Not feeling well that day isit?
I was in a state of shock that I didn't really pay attention to the details this time round but you guessed it..
Yes, my gf was asked to split the bill and this time the bill was probably less than $10.

Even taking a cab back together, he asked if she was paying or he was paying?!
Come on! I'm not being a feminist but who asks this kinda question?
Shouldn't it be like 'Shall we share the cab fare?' at most?!
I mean if I am out with a guy, I don't expect him to send me home but since it's the same area, we can share a cab back and maybe split the cost of it (as friends..forget about going after me).
I don't remember any guys ever asking me to pay the cab fare unless I offer to.
Man!!! I can't believe what I was hearing that day!

I went home and asked Yong if he had ever done this kind of stuff before?
Even before dating me (becoz I knew he had gfs before me) he said no and even reminded me that our first date at Fish & Co, I had paid for the dinner as I said I will give the treat since he paid for the movie.
He was kinda baffled as well.

Are we being too old fashion about men being the person paying (or offering to pay) for dates that we go on?
Especially those that asks for the date in the first place?

I am glad to say that I still have gentlemen in my life that opens the doors for ladies.
(Yong does it too - some times).
I appreciate it loads, guys!!