My parents invited my wife and me out for dinner at a nice restaurant to celebrate my birthday. Since my wife was going to be in the part of town where the restaurant was located with her girlfriend “Anna” to attend an art fair anyway, Anna agreed to drive her to the fair. Afterwards they planned to arrive early at the restaurant to share a drink together at the bar, and then Anna was going to leave so that my parents, wife and I could dine together. Then, of course, my wife and I would drive home together.
As it turned out, my wife and Anna arrived later than expected, just before our dinner reservations were set. They had just ordered their drinks when I arrived at the restaurant where I met my parents in the lobby. My wife and I told Anna that she could sit at our table until she finished her drink. At first she declined, but then accepted when I told her that it would be okay until she was done with her beverage. As it turned out, Anna remained at the table after finishing her drink, browsing the menu. I whispered to my wife, “I thought she was going to leave?”
My wife responded, “She’s going to order something to go first.”
Time went by and Anna didn’t order any food to go. When she left to go to the restroom, I asked my wife when Anna was going to leave. My wife said that she was going to stay and dine with us, but that she would be paying for her own meal. I was furious, and told my wife that it was rude to invite someone else when it was my parents who gave us the invitation so that we could enjoy an evening with them.
I left the table, met Anna as she left the restroom, and politely explained to her that the agreement was that she was going to leave after she finished her drink. I also explained that my parents had invited my wife and me as an opportunity for us to be together as a family. She seemed to understand and said she’d depart.
When I returned to the table I told my wife what I had told Anna. She was shocked and left to speak with her. After a while my wife returned and stated that she was leaving. Soon afterwards Anna came to the table to say good-night and she wished me a happy birthday.
That was a birthday celebration that I’d just as soon forget.
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