Is this a date?

Sometimes it's hard to tell if what you've been asked to do is in fact, a date. Case in point:

It all began about two months ago when I was at an alumni function for my former graduate school. I was at the craps tables at the casino night event and semi-drunkenly struck up a conversation with a tall, Southern-accent-drawling, fellow-dice-rolling current graduate student. I gave him my card, he called, and we had what I considered a mentoring lunch to talk about his future. I asked him casually how old he was (guessing 28 or so) and he said....23, er almost 24. That's the inverse of my age. No go. He chatted amicably, but suggested we soon get drinks when I was off work. Huh.

He followed up repeatedly. He was gorgeous, but supremely younger than is reasonable for me, despite my protestations that there are "very mature" just-turned-24-year-olds in the world. Ahem. Anyway.

He sent me an email over New Year's asking me to go to dinner...on Saturday night....at 8:30. Hmmm... is this a date? I decided to go despite the hysterical laughter and statutory rape jokes that were emanating from my friends. I took a cab so I didn't have to worry about drinks. When I arrived at the location he had chosen (a romantic trendy restaurant with a great bar), it was closed. Damn New Year's Day holiday. He offered to drive me to another location. I got in the really-overly-nice car for someone who hasn't hit a quarter century yet and the radio was softly playing George Michael's "Careless Whisper." Date. Definitely Date.

Saturday night? Romantic dinner locale? Careless Whisper? Must be a date! Yay!

After finally settling on a great Italian wine bar and restaurant we killed a bottle of Zinfandel (the red kind that adults drink) while I tried to ignore his comments about wine in boxes and the fraternity he had been in, oh, two years ago. He was cute- did I mention that? Then he mentioned, and mentioned again, and mentioned again, his ex he was obviously still in love with. Sigh.

Ultimately I'm not sure if it was a date or not. He offered to take me upstairs at my house but I refused- mostly because I don't like competing with exes and I'd have to admit to said friends that the statutory rape jokes could have been apropos. I suppose I should stick to my general 28-40 age range with men- I got over boxed wine a long time ago, even if he were to bring it on a romantic picnic that I still wouldn't be sure was a date.