14.
When I was in graduate school for my doctorate. I met a gentleman at a bar, and we hit it off. He was a rocket scientist, and I was in a similar field, so we nerded out all night. He was delightful and charming. He asked me out and got my number. I told him that it probably couldn’t happen until I was done with a very important oral defense for my PhD program. I was also going to a foreign country to do a mission trip. He knew all of this and seemed cool with waiting at first. But then he started badgering me to take me out on a date to the point of guilting me for leading him on, etc. He was sort of in my circle of friends, so I finally agreed to go on the date (mistake #1), which was the night before I went on this mission trip.”
“I agreed to dinner and told him that I had to be home to get up early the next day, so dinner was all I could probably swing. Well, he insisted on picking me up at my apartment (mistake #2) and took me out to an Irish bar to listen to his favorite band. It was loud, and we could barely hear each other. He talked about himself the whole time, and I sort of checked out. I kicked myself for not driving, because he proceeded to guilt me into going back to his apartment to watch a movie. His favorite one — The Princess Bride. I was tired and had a headache. I did not want to do this, but he drove. I was a people pleaser back then, and the ‘Midwest Nice’ politeness was still strong within me. So, I agreed (mistake #3).
I walked into his apartment. To my utter horror, there was no couch, only a sad-looking partially-deflated air mattress on the floor masquerading as a seating area, a TV on a makeshift table, action hero posters on the wall, and a few bookshelves with action figures and knickknacks. I immediately thought. ‘Welp, my head is going to end up in the freezer tonight.’ I tried to back out and bring up my headache, but he had already put The Princess Bride on and cracked a few Keystone Lights for us. He again guilted me, so I sucked it up and sat down on this sad, sad air mattress (mistake #4). I tried to keep some distance, but he scooted closer and closer until he had basically arranged me so his arms were hugged around me and I was situated with my back to his chest. His mouth was very close to my ear. I was so tired, angry, and uncomfortable that I avoided turning my head toward him at all costs. I tried to escape the position several times, but his arms were like a vice around my body. So, I gave up (mistake #5). He then proceeded to recite the dialogue of The Princess Bride to me. No reprieve, no other conversation — just movie dialogue the entire time. As the movie was ending, he tried to turn me toward him to kiss me, and I basically tucked and rolled out of the position and hopped up. Free at last, free at last!!! I said, ‘I need to go, I have to be up at 7 a.m., and its already 1 a.m.’ He said, ‘As you wish.’ I was close to vomiting at this point and just wanted to leave.
The ride home was him discussing his mother, how close they were, and how he couldn’t wait to introduce me. He told me that wherever he moves for a job, she will likely move with him. I didn’t say a word. As he pulled up to my apartment, I opened the door before the car even stopped and basically tucked and rolled out of the vehicle. I turned around and said ‘thanks for the date’ and ran into my apartment before he could even get out of the car or get a word in otherwise.
I thought that was the end of it, but no. He asked me out again, and this time, I didn’t respond (ghosting is shitty, but I didn’t want to give him any avenue to talk to me). He kept texting; I ignored him. He then started to email me. Long-winded, arrogant emails filled with fancy words basically telling me how he was a nice guy/thought we had a connection and that I was evil for ghosting him, etc. There were a good 10–12 emails before they stopped.”
—Anonymous
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahmarder/worst-first-date-stories