A woman has shared her disbelief after her date brought his mother along to their fourth date without warning, effectively ending any romantic potential between them. The incident occurred at a jazz concert in a local arts centre, where the man, named as Ryan, had invited her for what she thought would be a romantic evening.
Promising start on Hinge
The woman, a freelance writer, had been single for over two years and had spent 16 months on dating apps before matching with Ryan on Hinge. They connected over shared experiences of living abroad, and their first date at a Chinese restaurant went well, with effortless conversation lasting until the restaurant closed. She felt a spark she hadn't felt in a long time.
However, at the end of that first date, Ryan mentioned his mother was picking him up. He was in his mid-30s and had recently moved back home after a decade abroad without a car. The woman agreed to a lift, and his mother seemed polite during the short drive.
Dates without romance
Over the next few weeks, they continued texting and went on two more dates—coffee and brunch—but neither made a move to kiss, leaving the woman unsure if Ryan saw her romantically. For the fourth date, Ryan suggested an evening jazz concert, which she saw as a chance to test the romantic chemistry.
He bought tickets and met her at the venue door. But as they approached the stage, she saw his mother waving from a front-row table. 'I couldn’t believe it,' she wrote. 'When we’d been chatting about our plans for the evening, I’d thought that just the two of us were going on a date. He hadn’t said anything about his mum joining.'
Awkward concert and aftermath
Shocked, she went on autopilot, greeting his mother politely and sitting through the concert in silence. Both Ryan and his mother seemed completely comfortable, making her wonder if this was a regular occurrence. After the concert, his mother offered to drive her home, and despite being hungry, she declined a dinner invitation to end the evening quickly.
The next day, Ryan texted as if nothing unusual had happened. She decided not to confront him, and when he mentioned an unexpected trip abroad and asked to see her before leaving, she agreed but fell ill and cancelled. Neither reached out again, ending the connection without resolution.
'I still have no idea whether Ryan’s mum invited herself on our date or if he genuinely thought it was normal to bring her – or if he was trying to friendzone me and this was his approach,' she reflected. 'Either way, I guess I’ll never know – but next time someone’s parent comes to pick them up from a date, I’ll know it’s time to end things.'
