Story Sent in by Charlene:
Anthony and I met via speed dating, and when we met in person for our first real date, I was surprised to find him wearing a full dress suit. I liked to dress up for dates, but he was rocking the formal wear. I was in a nice dress, but nothing I'd call formal-occasion-worthy. After all, we were meeting at a Red Robin burger joint.
At first I thought he had come from work (although it was a weekend), but he said, "No. I dressed up like this for you. I was under the impression that we were going to have a date."
He looked me up and down, frowned, and sighed heavily. I asked him if what I was wearing was no good, and he said, "No, it's fine. Let's eat." It clearly wasn't fine, but seriously, who shows up on a first date to a burger place in a dress suit and tie? Anyone out there?
He kept sighing throughout the early part of our dinner, and I finally asked him, "Something's clearly wrong. You seriously dressed up like that for tonight?"
He said, "It's a date. I'll dress like it's one. You can dress however you'd like."
I asked, "You don't think this is good date-wear?"
He said, "Well, I'm not a woman. I guess I can't say."
His words were measured and tactful, but his manner betrayed how he really felt. And if that wasn't clear enough, he soon asked me, "How about, after dinner, we go dress shopping?"
I didn't need a new dress, so I asked, "For you?"
He chuckled and said, "No. As stated, I'm not a woman. I'll drive you anywhere you want for a new dress."
I asked, "You paying for it?"
"Heavens, no."
"Then I'm okay, but thanks for the offer of a ride."
He hemmed and hawed all through dinner. At its end, I offered to pay for mine, and he sighed again and said that he'd take care of it. I thanked him, we left the restaurant, and that was the end of my date with Mr. Wacky Formal Man.
*SIGH* No one ever dresses for dinner any more.....*SIGH*
ReplyDeleteIf you have to keep "stating" that you are not a woman, maybe it's not true.
ReplyDeleteYou wore one of those dresses that didn't show enough cleavage. Or he was the manager at the Red Robin who just ended his shift.
ReplyDeleteRed Robin? At least the brother didn't take you to Checkers!
ReplyDeleteYou are better off without him...he only tux a big game.
ReplyDeleteFirst the people at Downton stopped wearing tails to dinner each night, and then it's been downhill ever since.
ReplyDeletewhat does hemmed and hawed mean? And if he was fine with whatever she was wearing why did he ask her to go window shopping?
ReplyDeletedrinking I have been. but I like the Barney reference. And I like the cleverness of life. drinking I have been. did not meet any men in suits while I was out. saw improv at a bar. many fuzzy navels...yah abcd!
ReplyDeleteABCotD... bringing class back to the internet.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know what is worse-the fact that he wore a three piece suit to dinner or that he was passive agressive and didn't confront his imanged slight head-on. It would be interesting to see what he would wear to a really formal event think he deems it appropriate to wear formal wear to a burger joint.
ReplyDeleteAS for Red Robin, I think chain restaurants are a good choice for a first date. They usually have something everyone will eat, don't cost too much, and are everywhere (hence chain). But if you don't really know someone, wouldn't something like coffee or a walk be easier. Not costly (Walks are free) and you can evaluate to see if they display any form of insanity before a meal is totally ruined by having.
You take her to an expensive restaurant, you will see an expensive check...
ReplyDeleteHemming and hawing means making thoughtful and/or annoyed humming noises. It's that "hmmm" noise people make when they're trying to figure something out, when they're not sure about agreeing to something, that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure he was trying to 'neg' her: It's this thing emotionally abusive people do where they say something negative about you on purpose with the goal being that you keep seeking their approval. Saying it's no big deal but then insisting it be fixed right away is probably part of it. The passive-aggressive sighing is too: you aren't allowed to ignore or forget that they're annoyed until you do something about it.