Dating Terminology

I am by far a novice when it comes to dating. As my friends and family will vouch, if it can be done wrong, I likely will! I guess I missed the lesson on dating etiquette or forgot to read the blueprints.

For instance, I completely missed the chivalrous boat when out on lunch date. I arrived and my date was already there. He greeted me, I took off my coat. It wasn't until it was time to go that I realized I had ignored his chivalry not once, but twice. He stood up and said, "Let me help you with your coat this time."

Of course then I realized that he did attempt when I got there as well! But me, what did I do or say? "Thanks, but I got it."

I suppose the walking out to the parking lot and parting ways in the middle of the lot rather than allowing him to walk me to my car to say goodbye was probably a good indicator that we wouldn't see each other again, right? I actually didn't mean it that way, but in retrospect, that's the message I sent, wasn't it?

I was talking to the Ex-Bf yesterday. We were catching up over the past few days as I had been neglectful at returning calls. I cut the conversation short and told him I would call him back en route to the guy's house I was "dating".

He says, "DATING?"

Me, (I'm really not grasping the concept of what I said that was so outer space bizarre) "Yes."

He says, "So you are dating him now?"

(Mind you I'm completely out of it at this point. What was I doing before that was different then now? What was I suppose to say instead of dating? Is it really this complicated?)

Me, "Well dating, seeing, spending time with. What am I suppose to call it?"

He says, "I guess there is no chance for me then!"

Me, "Wait, what? There wasn't a chance to begin with, we are done. We can hang out as friends but we will never date again."

Dead silence...awkward silence....

So here's the thing, what is it that you call it when you date, see, spend time, go out with someone several times to get to know someone? I couldn't get the Ex-Bf to give me the proper terminology for it either.

The guy I had dinner with, fortunately, he was on the same page as me, so I guess that's really all that matters. Right?