The first time Rob and I met was on a double date. It was Rob and Anita, and me and my ex-girlfriend, Kathy. It was not the first double date I had ever had with Anita, and was not a big deal to me, though it was the first time Anita and Kathy would meet.

I was friendly with Anita's previous boyfriend, Kjell, who I liked a lot (even more than she liked him), and there was no weirdness then. In any case, Kathy and I had some drinks beforehand. I let the conversation get interesting during dinner, talking about religion and other things that you shouldn't talk about. Rob insisted he did not mind, and until afterwards I did not know he did. His dissenting opinions did not bother me at all. In retrospect, I took too much risk, with two small an upside and a large downside. From then on, things would be awkward with Rob. I won't make the same mistake again.