I went on a date with Mark, a financial analyst who claimed to be a CrossFit enthusiast. He seemed fine at first, but things took a turn when he started talking about his strict diet and workout routine. He even went as far as to say that food is just fuel and that he doesn’t eat for taste. When the dessert menu arrived, he shut it down before I could even glance at it, saying, “She’s had enough.” I was taken aback, but I didn’t let it faze me.
Instead, I ordered dessert for the table behind us, two lovely women in their sixties who were celebrating a night out. They were thrilled, and we ended up joining them, laughing and chatting like old friends. Mark, on the other hand, looked like he’d been left out in the cold. As I left the restaurant with the women, I made sure to give Mark a parting shot, loud enough for the whole room to hear. The women and I had found a connection, and Mark was left looking like the odd one out.
The experience taught me that dignity and self-respect are essential, especially when dealing with people who try to control or judge you. It’s okay to stand up for yourself and assert your worth, even if it means walking away from a bad date. Sometimes, it’s the small acts of rebellion that make the biggest impact. In this case, it was ordering dessert and refusing to let someone else dictate my choices.
