B E B E R E

This is a huge pet peeve of mine:

EVERY KISS BEGINS WITH KAY [Jonah Goldberg]

I'm pretty sure I said this last year around this time, but I see no reason not to repeat myself on such a weighty issue. I hate these omnipresent TV commercials from Kay Jewellers. I don't know if it's a nationwide chain or not. But the tagline is "Every kiss begins with Kay."

Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but if every kiss begins with a bauble from Kay, then you're either dating, or married to, a whore.

The notion that someone would do well to ply me with flowers, jewelry, etc, in order to get my affections really, honestly, truly bugs the heck out of me. The student loans I am paying off with my compromise of a job were not for charm school, believe me. Of course, there is a certain segment of the population that does believe in this sort of barter though - both women and men - and, sad to say, here in Boston (and, even sadder to say - from my school), you tend to find more than a few 'daddy's girls.'

In my case, though, any jewelry (or underthings or clothes) I want, I buy myself. Any guy I have around tends to be there because he makes me happy. I know that I may sound like a combination of Gloria Steinem and Harvey Fierstein - but, since I've become the man I was supposed to marry, I guess I just want someone around to love me and to give my love to. Not to give me gifts or to take me out to expensive places. Most of that conspicuous consumption stuff tends to offend me anyway. (Is that so wrong?)

From The Corner, via Instapundit.