STATUS - does it really change everything?

Your status - single, married, in a relationship - does it really make a difference?

Imagine this:

After a month of not seeing your girl friends, you decide to meet up for dinner one Friday night to catch up on what's been going on with each other's lives. You look forward to this day for a whole week, already saying on Monday that the weekend can't come fast enough! But then it does.

On Friday, you and 2 of your friends are there at the restaurant, eagerly awaiting one last person to complete the group. She textes you that she's almost there and so you start chatting with your friends. You're eager to see this other friend because out of all of them, she's your closest one. You have soooo much to share and you're so happy that you guys finally got together.

She arrives and all of you cheer in chorus, but your eyes fall to her hand which is holding someone else's hand. You realize that the reservation for 4 just got a plus 1.

What's so wrong with the scenario? Well, it was supposed to be a night out with your girlfriends, but since one of them suddenly had a boyfriend, she just couldn't help but bring him along as well.

I mean, maybe it's because I'm "single" and so I perceive things this way, but I don't think so. I just think that there should be a right time and right place to bring your significant other. Sure, at your own party or at a night out with the gang - bring your guy. But at a 'just the 4 of us' event, or even a high school batch get together, I highly doubt it especially if you're going to be glued to your partner the whole night and not be able to talk to your friends. Forget about it!

I don't feel the need to bring or even invite my guy to EVERY event I go to. I've had boyfriends before, and I was never like that. But it seems that now, all my friends who are attached do feel that need. When did the rules change? Or maybe it's me who is being stubborn about these kinds of situations?