What could go wrong?

Eight girls tell about their most awkward, funnniest and most horrible dates*

Going on dates can sometimes be really exhausting and awkward. Let's be honest, it's like a job interview, but with cocktails. The goal is to get to know each other, to figure out whether you have things in common and whether the spark is out there somewhere, waiting to be ignited. It is pointless to try to hide that each of us has had a terrible date at least once in our lives. There's nothing wrong with the chemistry not being there. However, there are times when people find themselves in situations where the only question they ask themselves is, “Really?! Where do I find such people? ” There are times when the person in front of us is okay, but fate decides to mess things up, presenting us with a number of unforeseen circumstances, which over time we see as something comical, but at the very moment it seems like a real drama. But like anything else, being on a bad date also has its positive side... it gives you a funny story to tell your friends afterwards.

I asked eight girls to share their most horrible or just the most comical dates they have ever had. Here is what they told me.

"We decided to go dancing somewhere, but before that we went to a bar to have a drink. The guy had long hair, and he had his back to the waitress who was coming to take our order. So she said, 'What would you like to drink, ladies?' When she realized that one of the ladies was actually a man, it got quite awkward."

E., 24

"After two dates with this guy, he invited me over to his place for dinner, so I promised to prepare some special meal. I spent the whole day shopping and cooking so that everything can be amazing. A few hours before the date, he sent me a message saying he was in a hospital because he had an accident. I got a bit worried because I didn't know if it was something serious so I offered to go and keep him company. He said it wasn't necessary and that our date still standed. So I kept preparing the food. As time passed, I had no idea what to do. Should I wait any longer? Should I cancel the date? Finally we decided to take a rain check. The same night, around 5 in the morning, I got another message from him that he was feeling guilty and wanted to see me. I thought he might be feeling unwell after the accident, and to be honest, I also wanted to see him. I took a taxi and headed to his place. When I arrived, I waited for him to buzz me in, but there was no answer. He didn't reply to my messages nor he returned any of my phone calls. I was confused, tired and angry. I waited for a few long minutes and then left. Needless to say, after a series of unconvincing excuses and a lack of apology on his behalf, that was the end of it. "

R., 27

"A guy I liked asked me out on a date, to the movies. When we got to the cinema, he said to me, 'You don't mind paying for your ticket yourself, right? My parents didn't give me any money.>. He was 27 years old ..."

J., 31

"After texting for almost two months, he finally asked me out. He told me he had a new car and asked me if I wanted to go for a ride, so I said yes. We drove around for a couple of hours and then we went to a really nice place with an amazing view, where we stayed for a while, talking and kissing. Then he kept driving and all of a sudden he stopped the car and told me the date was over because he ran out of gas. I looked at him puzzled, trying to understand what he was saying, and he just told me that there was no point of me staying any longer. Since we had stopped near my friend's apartment, I went to her place and asked to borrow her car. Then we went to a gas station and got a can of gasoline. We refilled his car and had another ride. He never called me again. "

L., 31

"My boyfriend and I wanted to try this new restaurant for our one year anniversary, as the place had great reviews. After we were seated at the table, I went to the bathroom to wash my hands and I literally bumped into my ex-boyfriend in the corridor. He gave me a nasty look, so I went back to the table and told my boyfriend. He told me not to worry, so we kept enjoying each other's company. I ordered a chicken burger and he ordered pasta Carbonara. The burger came completely cold and raw, and the pasta looked really weird, with a massive ball of chili sauce in the middle... none of the dishes were edible. I later realized that my ex-boyfriend was a chef at the restaurant and that he had prepared our food. Even though we got our money back, our first anniversary was completely ruined."

A., 25

"We made plans to go to the beach together. We were sunbathing and at some point he told me that he was going into the water to swim a little. After about an hour he was still missing. I thought he had left, but his things were on the beach with me. Then I saw him coming out of the water. I wasn't sure if he had come on a date with me or to take a swimming lesson."

E., 24

"There was a guy in my bachata class who I liked. We were getting to know each other, and one day he invited me over to his place to practice the steps we had learned in class. I remember I was chewing a gum while dancing. At one point I felt something weird going on in my mouth, and then I realized that one of my molar teeth had fallen. I tried to remain calm so, while he wasn't looking at me, I put my tooth in my pocket. I told him I needed to use the bathroom and locked myself in for a while. When I looked myself in the mirror, I saw a gaping hole that wasn't as far back as I wanted it to be. I was too embarassed to tell him, so I put the gum back in my mouth and pretended that everything was fine for the rest of the evening. I avoided smiling, and when I had to, I put my hand in front of my mouth. Thank God he didn't realize what had happened, but I wanted the earth to open up so I could disappear."

L., 31

"I was seeing this guy who had a serious girlfriend. After many arrangements to go to his place, one evening I finally accepted. It was winter time, there was snow and it was really cold. I dressed up, put on some sexy lingerie, the way it was supposed to be. I took a taxi, and when I got to his place he said I should wait for a bit because his roommates were still awake. I stood at the entrance for a while and then went upstairs because I thought everyone was asleep. At that moment, one of his roommates, who was his girlfriend's friend, opened the door for me. And he was just standing there, behind her, not doing anything. I got so mortified I left right away without saying anything. I was furious and I walked all the way home by myself in the cold..."

H., 30

As for myself, my unsuccessul dates include pretty much everything - I have been stood up, I have had a guy spending almost the entire date on his phone, another one who was making plans with another girl in front of me, and so on. For my thirty-three years, the list is endless, and the humiliating moments are too many. Therefore, I will share with you a not so dramatic date, one of the first dates I had in Barcelona.

A guy from my salsa class asked me out, to the movies. I had already watched the movie, but I didn't mind watching it again. After we got the tickets, he bought a big bucket of popcorn to share. When we found our seats, he put the bucket in his lap, wrapped his arm around it, and started eating greedily. After eating almost everything, he asked me if I didn't like popcorn. And I was thinking, "I do, I just can't reach it." At least the movie was worth it.

We would hardly want to get into any of these situations, but in the end, without any bad dates we wouldn't be able to appreciate the really good ones. And sometimes, before we meet the prince, we have to kiss a few frogs. The important thing is to take it with a good dose of humor and to smile ... even with one tooth less :)

* At the request of the girls I am keeping their anonymity.