On a whim I made a trip to a local bar with some friends last night. Unfortunately, I was witness to one of the many reasons I stopped frequenting the bars each weekend in the first place. The incident I am referring to is a fight.

Anyone who has ever attended a bar more than a few times knows the scene I am talking about. One guy turns around and sees another guy “looking at him.” Egos flare, beers fly and blood spills.

Let’s examine that excuse for a fight shall we? It’s quite a popular one. “Hey! He was looking at me funny.” Chances are the poor guy was probably staring of into space thinking about whether or not he felt like battling the bathroom line.

But no! We can’t have that man “looking at us.” His looking at me, of course, means he wants to start something, or get in my face. (That seems to be the popular term now.)

So the fight ensues and no one wins because they both get thrown out or arrested. Gosh that’s so cool isn’t it? I wish I was cool enough to walk up to a total stranger in a bar and hit him (her) because she was looking at me funny. But cat-fighting is a whole other story.

Back to my point, why is it that most men need to fight? Don’t tell me they don’t either. I’ve been around enough men in my life to know the whole ego thing involved in fighting. It’s a power trip. They feel more manly and attractive when the “chicks” see them getting all physical.

If physical is what you’re after pal, take her to the gym.

What scares me is how men might have come up with that sort of thinking. Do we as women convey the idea that we like “real” men who can fight?

Now I certainly agree there are situations when a guy in a bar needs a good whack. For example, I went down to the University of Illinois about a year ago and visited the bars with some friends. I approached the bar to get a drink at about the same time another guy did.

Now this guy was stone drunk and was hell bent on getting his drink before me. The bartender served me first and in retaliation, this guy decked me. Knocked me flat on my butt.

Well, this is one of those situations where a little etiquette reminder is in order. (I am proud to admit that I was just the one to give it to him.) Only in drastic situations should violence be used, and in reality I’m not altogether sure this was one.

Isn’t it more mature to just walk away and freak the guy out. Looking at someone isn’t a crime. A guy looking at someone’s girlfriend, or vice versa, isn’t a crime either. (Look but don’t dare touch.)

If someone is staring at your date be flattered and rest with the fact that you are the one with the person. That revenge is sweeter than any smack in the face. It’s also a lot less messy.

I hate to see a good face marred, so guys, try and think about what I said. You don’t have to agree with me, just think about it. A guy is 10 times more attractive when he keeps his cool and gallantly ignores any peon that is trying to pick a fight.

And ladies, let’s try and show the guys that they are more desirable when they refuse to resort to barbaric games. Besides, depending on where a guy gets bruised in a fight, he might not be desirable to anyone for a while.