It's a remarkable piece. But plenty of 'real' relationships are maintained partly by paying for them, too - think of the friend who always picks up the tab, the

It's a remarkable piece. But plenty of 'real' relationships are maintained partly by paying for them, too - think of the friend who always picks up the tab, the boyfriend or suitor who pays for dinner and buys gifts for his lover. A Marxian could even claim that traditional families aren't so different... The temporary nature and upfront pricetag though are distinctive.