A Word to the Wise

Most teen-agers stick pretty well within one group for their dates and parties. Occasionally, however, you may be invited to a party where some of the guests are strangers to you. Suppose, while you’re there, you meet a boy who seems nice and who wants to take you home. How will you know if he’s a suitable escort? There are some things you may want to consider before giving him your answer.

You might ask the adult in charge of the party about the boy and his reputation. Or you might speak with the hostess. If these people speak well of the fellow, you could accept his invitation. But first make sure that he hasn’t brought another girl to the party, whom he is planning to ditch. You don’t want to be the cause of someone else’s discomfort.

If there is some question about the boy’s reputation, or if no one at the party knows him well enough to say, the safest thing is to stay out of the situation. If you’d like to get to know him better, you might suggest that another couple whom you know well join you in riding home. If no one else is going your way, you can politely refuse this time, and invite him to your house some afternoon to meet your parents and listen to records. As you get to know him better, you’ll learn whether or not he’s the kind of person you’d like to date.

BLIND DATING