Is it okay to date a friend’s ex-girlfriend, ex-wife, or ex-f*^kbuddy? Here’s the way I look at it.

There’s a two letter word in the English language: “Ex.” Nobody is anyone else’s property. Nobody.

Now, granted, you don’t want to go out and sleep with your friend’s ex-girlfriend the night after they break up. There needs to be some time that elapses.

I truly believe that you can date anyone, as long as the person who used to date them is okay. Here’s what I mean.

Let’s say your best friend dated someone for six months. It didn’t work out, and now your friend has processed the relationship, realized why it didn’t work out, and is now dating other people. In that situation, there is no reason why you can’t go out with his ex-girlfriend if you want to do so.

Nobody is anybody else’s property. Just because you dated somebody in March of 2010 does not mean that nobody else can date them in September of 2010.

It doesn’t make any sense at all. If you think about it, this person wasn’t right for you (as evidenced by the fact that you broke up). You’re no longer having sex with them, dating them or hanging out with them.

One of your friends, though, maybe got along with that person really well back when you all used to hang out together. They actually probably would have been a better couple than the two of you were. The problem is that you met her first.

There is no rule that the first one to meet her is the last one to date her. So, as far as I’m concerned, the minute someone goes back into the dating pool anyone can swim with them.

Let’s stop with these silly rules. If you are not sure about it, then sit down with your friend and say, “Hey, look, how would you feel if I dated Ginger (or MaryAnn or whoever)?” If your best friend is the Skipper or the Professor, then you’ll understand that.