2017/2018
Vol. 13

Dine and Dash

c. 1991; North Highlands, California, USA

When my parents were dating in high school, they often switched off planning dates. My mother was a very creative person and decided to have a little bit more of a thrilling date when it was her turn to plan — more thrilling than my dad knew he was in for.

Once this date had entered my mom’s mind, she knew there would be a lot of planning. See, my mom was planning for her and my dad to dine and dash — not literally, of course. As she started formulating the idea, she went to the owner of the restaurant they would be “stealing” from. She discussed with him what she was trying to do and how they would make sure beforehand that their meal would all be paid for. As soon as she got an okay from the owner, the plan could all fall into place.

The day came when my mom and dad were supposed to go on their date. My mom got ready, and she and my grandma went to pick up my dad. They got to the restaurant, and my grandma Jean dropped them off, with my mom purposely leaving her purse in the car. The waiters were in on the plan, too. They seated my parents far away from the door and somewhat near the restrooms. While my mom and dad were talking, my grandma Jean came in (posing as a customer) and was seated around the corner, where she would be unseen by my parents.

When they were ready for the check, the waiter took my mom the check, making sure to give it to her and not my dad. This was because the check didn’t have anything on it. They had given the real check to my grandma around the corner, where she would pay for the meal for my parents. My dad didn’t know this, of course. He didn’t even know Grandma was in the building.

As my mother reached for her purse to pay, she acted surprised when she didn’t have it. “Jared,” my mother said, “I don’t have my purse with me. I must have left it in the car. Can you pay?”

My father replied, “No, I don’t have my wallet. I can’t find it.” The reason my dad couldn’t find his wallet was that his mom had taken it from him to help the plan.

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to dine ’n’ dash,” my mom replied. They formulated a plan to do such without being caught. My mom was to go into the bathroom, and when she returned she would just walk out the front door. A few minutes later my dad was supposed to do the same.

When they both had left successfully, they were going to call my grandma from the phone booth several minutes away from the restaurant. My dad heard a police siren in the distance and thought they had been caught. That’s when my mom told my dad he had been pranked.

Cadence Andrus; Idaho, USA

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