I recently attended a colleague’s birthday dinner at a fancy restaurant, and what happened next left me stunned. My colleague had invited me to celebrate her special day, and I had brought a thoughtful gift to mark the occasion.
However, things took a turn when she texted me a few hours later, asking me to pay my share of the bill, which came out to be $190 plus tip. I was taken aback by the request, considering I had already brought a gift. I decided to respond with a lighthearted message, hinting that the gift was my contribution to the celebration.
The next day, I walked into work, unaware of the drama that was unfolding. Colleagues were staring at me, and one of them rushed up to me, sharing a juicy gossip about someone who had refused to pay their share of the dinner bill the previous night. I kept quiet, not revealing that I was the one being talked about.
But the real shock came when I found the gift I had brought for my colleague sitting on my desk. She had returned it, and I couldn’t help but feel that her actions were a breach of etiquette. I still believe that it’s unreasonable to expect guests to bring a gift and pay for an expensive dinner, especially when they’re the ones being invited.
