Question: I met this really great guy, “John,” who’s incredibly hot and funny, at a party. We talked and danced and traded numbers at the end of the night, but when I told my friends about him, they all said he was a total player. Now I don’t know what to do, because John has called and asked to hang out and I think we really clicked, but my friends keep telling me to steer clear because he’ll only break my heart. I know they mean well, but I really like this guy and I’ve been in the middle of a dry spell. What do you say? ~Torn

Chick: Three words of advice for you: proceed with caution. Don’t let the desperation of a dry spell cloud your better judgment and lead you right into the jaws of a love-’em-and-leave-’em type. Play detective and ask your friends exactly what makes this John fellow such a player. Did they decide that from rumors, assumptions, listening to heart-broken friends? If their reasons seem faulty or inconclusive to you, then give John a call and hang out. If he acts sketchy, trust your instincts and drop him. If, however, he seems sincere, then continue to hang out – cautiously – because being in the middle of a dry spell is always better then being heartbroken.

Dick: First of all, from personal experience, if a guy likes you, he can settle down. Also, know the value of free advice – if your friends told you to jump off a bridge, would you? Why should it be any different when it comes to getting some from a guy you like? You like him, your friends don’t, who is going to sleep with him? You. Follow your hormones, that is what will keep you happy and balanced. Be guarded- don’t give it up on the first date and get hurt when he plays you. But at least give him a chance to fall for you and then break your heart further down the road.

Question: I had what I thought was a perfect first date with a girl one of my friends introduced me to. I’ve been told that a kiss usually seals the deal for a second date, and so when we kissed at the end of the night, I thought I was in. But now it’s been like a week and a half and I’ve been trying to reach her, but her roommate always picks up and she hasn’t returned the message I left on her cell. Is she completely blowing me off and I’m too blind to realize it, or should I wait a little longer before moving on? ~Frustrated

Chick: I hate to break it to you, but a kiss at the end of an evening is no guarantee. The expiration date on that one wore out a few years ago, when an end-of-night kiss became more the norm than a treat. As for the “perfect date” part, all it takes is watching a few episodes of one of the best brain-candy dating shows ever, “Blind Date,” to see that guys often mistake a girl’s pity or politeness for affection, and so that “perfect date” might be more of a “dud” in her mind. However, first of all, do not despair – yet. With midterms and spring break coming up, she could just be extra busy and more scatterbrained than usual, which is why it’s taken so long for her to get back to you. But even midterms are no excuse for rudeness, and if she doesn’t get back to you with a good explanation within the next several days, it’s time to move on. Besides, any girl that acts polite during a date and gives polite kisses but can’t give a polite phone call saying she’s not interested is not the kind of girl you’d want to be with anyway.

Dick: Well first of all, if you aren’t dating two girls at once, you aren’t quite up to par. With that settled, a kiss settles a second date if it’s a KISS,. If it’s just a kiss, that could be her way of saying goodnight, like when football players slap each other at the end of a play. Or you may have done everything in your power, until any number of things occurred, like she found out you hooked up with her roommate. Now she thinks you’re slightly less appealing than a sewer rat.