consolation dating

we've all been in this situation. you go out with a friend and you're sitting at the bar sipping (chugging) wine, having a serious conversation when two guys approach. they order shots and ask if you ladies would like to do one with them. never ones to turn down free alcohol, the two of you politely accept, shoot, and thank. they end up sitting down and spending the rest of the evening chatting (drinking) away with you both. great. except for the fact that one guy is really cute and the other is, well, not so much. cute guy inevitably likes your friend and you end up hanging out with the sidekick all night. which is totally fine. that's all in the friendship code of wingman behavior. but - and you know this moment is coming - eventually sidekick asks for your number, wants to take you out, etc. and what do you do?

i compare it to being given a consolation prize in a game or contest. the prize isn't something you want, it's not really something you'll use, but you can't trade it in for anything better. so, you take the prize, knowing that after this moment is over, you'll put it away and not really have any desire to see it again. that's not to say that the prize is grotesque, inappropriate, or mangy, it just isn't something that you can really find a use for.

so when it comes to consolation dating, what do you do? do you lie and say you're dating someone? do you give your number and then just avoid his calls until he gets the hint? (aka the same behavior the entire female population detests in men) do you just answer the phone and give him some lame excuse? (i.e. the not really dating right now, just got out of a relationship, not looking for anything, focusing on my career, i have 14 children with 6 different men thing?) do you politely explain that you were hammered, trying to be a good sport to help your friend snag the cute one, and you were really just being a bit of an attention whore and have no intention of actually going out with him? or do you go out with him once, just to see how it goes, even though you aren't interested? (and therefore waste a perfectly good evening trying not to look at your watch, formulating an excuse in your head as to why you need to go home early, and then breaking into a full-fledged sprint when your apartment building is in sight so that he can't walk you to the door and try to lick your face)

is this my lot in life - consolation dating? spending the rest of my years giving out my number to guys i'm not interested in, hoping they won't call? doesn't that negate the entire purpose of the dating game? if i'm never going to win the grand prize, i think i'll just quit. i don't need a consolation prize, thank you very much.