Crazy first dates

FIRST dates are no walk in the park, as your nerves are working overtime and you become overly self-conscious. And for some people, in the midst of their jitters there are crazy encounters, some of which they share below.

Clive W, 27:

I borrowed my brother’s car to make a good first impression. I’d told the girl that I drove a nice Honda Accord, only to see in the middle of my date my brother appear, to claim his car keys because he had an emergency. The worst part is that I had left my wallet in his car. I had to call my mother to come and pay the bill. To this day I am the topic at every family reunion.

Alayna H, 39:

When I was 19 a man I knew from work invited me out. We went to have fish and after we left the restaurant I thought we were going to a club or something, only to see the man turn on “Back Road” and enter one of the establishments. He parked and left the vehicle then came back and showed me a key. I asked what the key was for, and he said, “Yuh eat mi fish, what yuh think?” I told him I was not into that and he ordered me to get out of his car, and drove off. I never knew before what people did on the Back Road, and the good thing is that I had my money. But because cellphones weren’t popular then, I asked the woman at the front desk for a call and called a taxi. The same woman he rented the room from said to me, “Girlie, is a good thing you have you money ’cause a nuff a dem do woman this.”

Claire A, 50:

My now husband took me to a fancy restaurant. I swore I ordered only a small serving of pasta because it was seafood night and we don’t really like seafood. Our bill came up to a US$120 and he seemed shocked and embarrassed. I figured he didn’t have that much money so I offered to pay half. Today, 12 years later, we still laugh about it.

Trisha E, 36:

I left Linstead and came to meet a man in Kingston to go see a movie. The movie finished at almost 10:00 pm and the dude said we were going home. I said, “Home where?” The arrangement was for him to take me back to my house! The man left me in Cross Roads and I couldn’t get a cab to Spanish Town, and it’s another man whom I’d blown off before, who ended up having to come get me.

Shauna G, 32:

My church sister went on a blind date with a church brother from another branch, and the man turned up at Island Grill with a dutch pot of food in a scandal bag. While getting to know her, he pulled out the pot, started eating, then asked if she wanted some. She asked pardon to use the bathroom and disappeared.

Renee B, 33:

My boyfriend at the time took me to a restaurant and we sat near the pool. As the waitress brought out our food I realised I wanted to go wash my hands. I was pushing back the chair so I could stand, and sadly I pushed it back a little too far and fell right into the pool with the chair. I just took a swim ­— breast stroke, back stroke and freestyle — while people laughed.

Lexi H, 41:

I was invited out by a guy to go clubbing and I took my girlfriend along as my wing girl. I was having Bristol Cream and my friend was having Bailey’s and this dude was having Guinness like water and ordered drinks for friends. At some point the bill came and he asked me to pay the bill as he had left his wallet in the car (across the street). I just told him I was going to the bathroom. My girlfriend and I walked to the end of the bar and asked the bartender to calculate only our drinks and I got the figure and paid. We went to the bathroom and neatly exited the club and grabbed a cab home.

Jodi-Ann R, 38:

I went out with a guy once to the movies at Portmore Mall (18 years ago). I am from the country and not used to anything so I was surprised when the show ended in the middle — I didn’t know it was intermission. I was so upset and he asked why so I said, “Do you understand the show?” He said yes. I said I didn’t and he asked why. I proceeded to rant about how it ended “fool fool”, and the people were still left on the bus (the movie was Speed starring Sandra Bullock). He looked at me, paused, and slowly explained that it was intermission. That same night going home I was too embarrassed to talk so I proceeded to eat the American apple he had bought me, only to almost choke to death on a small piece because I was eating so daintily. That night ended our date and any hope of a relationship.