You can show up late, dressed like you decided not to give-a-shit, and still claim to be respecting your prospective partner. You can even get away with it, depending on the woman.

Or you can have the integrity and self-respect to do what you say you will, dress like you have some kind of social intelligence, and not play the “I’m going to show up late” game.

Feel free to disagree; but while you’re busy polishing your diamonds, the rest of us will be having REAL human interactions.

You can say whatever you want about integrity, and under-promising and over-delivering, but the same kind of I-read-this-in-my-McDonalds-Management-Training-Manual rhetoric that will impress your loyal client at Radio Shack is not the way to find yourself with a quality woman, as the Bishop well knows.

The reason your word matters is that you are an individual. Integrity cannot be synthesized. Take this as a twofer on #79 and #80, and have some self respect readers- Your socks don’t have to match, your shirt can be Beijing chic circa 1985, and you can show up late.

But do it as a conscious choice, and respect your prospective partner– be it for an hour, a night, a week, or a lifetime. Some women really are baubles, but some are gems. A diamond doesn’t scratch easily, and a little bit of polish goes a long way.

Even if you call her to say you’re running late, you have not evened up the ante. Play the hand you are dealt, and don’t try to bluff. Even if it works, you will only get stuck in a game.