The missing piece, from January 19, 1998…

Dear Breakup Girl,
Here’s an easy one for you that baffles the male species: what do women want? I’m a 25-year-old white male, average height and looks, good upbringing, working on a double masters’ program, and seeking someone else … but a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th date is a major accomplishment in my life. What’s up with that? What special bit is missing?
— Smart Ash

Dear Ash,
Easy. To borrow from Regina Barreca, Ph.D. (one of Breakup Girl’s gurus): We want you to give us “emotional, physical, and financial support without making demands that will interfere with our careers/child-raising/bridge game.”
Love,
Breakup Girl

P.S. Barreca continues: “And then we wonder why men are skittish.”

Actual source: Perfect Husbands (& Other Fairy Tales): Demystifying Marriage, Men, and Romance