The Dating Disgrace of the Year

Nightmare at the Blood Bank

All names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty!

On a first date when I was a freshman in college, we were going to go to the reservoir for the afternoon on a beautiful Indian Summer day.

First, we had to "get some cash." He took me to a blood bank to donate plasma! We got extra cash since it was the first visit for both of us and while I was there, my bed "won" the drawing and I received an extra $10.

I was so shocked by all this all I could do was sit frozen and hope it was a bad dream. I couldn't get up and leave because I was hooked to an IV!

After the donation was over we went through a fast food drive-thru and got some sandwiches and then a case of beer.

Once we got out in the sun at the reservoir, drank the beer, and ate the sandwich, I proceeded to feel sicker than I have ever felt before and throw up all over the beach. That was over 20 years ago and I still can remember how sick I felt.

No cell phones back then, so I was stranded out at the reservoir with a loser who clearly had no respect for me. I felt beyond "used." I had to give plasma so we could go on this crappy outing and then I got sick so he proceeded to drink all the beer! (Which I think was his goal from the beginning!)

I was very naive and I felt so embarrassed for him, that he thought that this was even remotely close to acceptable human behavior, that I downplayed the whole event and tried to pretend it had never happened.

Now that I'm older, I realize the "scene" I should have made once we arrived at the blood bank and gotten out of the whole thing! It was too dangerous a situation. He was the man, he had the plan for the date and I just went for the ride.

I never let that happen again. Now I ask for plans up front. Have an exit plan. And always make sure I voice my concerns.

Oh, yes, THIS was a DATE FROM HELL.