Some people are generous. Some are frugal. My in-laws? They’re something else entirely – the type who love treating people to dinner, as long as “treating” means picking the restaurant while someone else pays.
For years, my husband and I fell for it. They’d insist on extravagant meals, then conveniently forget their wallets, credit cards, even their entire purses when the bill came. After one too many $700 “surprise” dinners, we stopped accepting their invitations.
But they weren’t done. When they invited my mother to a “birthday celebration” at a posh downtown restaurant, I knew exactly what was coming. “They’re going to stick you with the bill,” I warned. Mom just winked and said, “I’d like to see them try.”
The meal was a masterpiece of excess – premium cuts, rare wines, desserts that required their own preparation table. Then, like clockwork, the excuses started flowing. One by one, they vanished, leaving my mom with a check that could finance a used car.
Here’s where it gets good. My mom quietly explained the situation to the maître d’, who turned out to be her old bridge partner. Next thing you know, the restaurant is calling my in-laws to inform them they’re about to be arrested for theft unless they return immediately.
The way they came running back, you’d think the building was on fire. These days? They’re suddenly very concerned about “fairness” and “splitting things evenly” before the menus even arrive. Funny how that works.
