February 1st 2025.
Sitting down at the fancy, newly opened restaurant, I was anticipating a lovely evening ahead. But my date seemed determined to ruin it. It wasn't our first time going out, and he had already displayed some peculiar behaviors in the past. I had brushed off his questionable fashion choices and occasional drunkenness, thinking it was just nerves or a coping mechanism. But as the night progressed, I found myself brainstorming ways to escape.
Despite his oddities, I was drawn to my date. He was a talented artist, and I enjoyed his company. However, this time, he showed up smelling of alcohol and behaving in a drunken manner. He even had the audacity to tell the waiter that we were guests and wouldn't be paying for our meal. I was there as a journalist, invited to review the restaurant in exchange for a complimentary meal, and my date's behavior was embarrassing me.
I tried to remain composed and calm, but inwardly, I was fuming with his shameless freeloading. He even had the nerve to ask for two complimentary bottles of wine and ordered the most expensive dish on the menu while I settled for a more affordable option. As a representative of a company, I couldn't just walk away, so I had to endure the awkwardness and embarrassment.
Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, my date started crying at the table. A conversation about his ex-wife taking his cat after their divorce triggered his emotions, and I had to gently remind him that others might think we were having a public argument. As we finished our meal and moved to the bar area, the cringe-worthy moments continued. My date even shook the waiter's hand and wished him a good time in "our country," implying that he owned the place.
I hoped that sitting at the bar would make things less intense, but it only got worse. My date went outside to vape, and I texted my friends, venting about his behavior. But the worst was yet to come. As we were about to leave, the waiter chased after us, informing us that we hadn't paid for our wine. My date's solution? To walk away without paying, despite the fact that our meal was already free because of my work. I couldn't believe his audacity.
When my date finally paid, I had had enough. I told him off and walked away without even waiting for his response. The next day, he left me a heartfelt voicemail, apologizing and promising to get help for his drinking problem. I replied with a pleasant message, but I knew that I couldn't continue seeing him.
This experience taught me to trust my instincts and be more selective about who I bring to work events. From now on, I will pay more attention to red flags and not let my desire for companionship blind me. And who knows, maybe one day I'll have a juicy dating story to share with the readers of The Agency.
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