There’s something thrilling about a first date — the promise of new connection, the hope that maybe this time things will click. But let’s be honest: first dates can also be gloriously unpredictable in all the wrong ways. You’re meeting someone for the first time, squinting at their photo, wondering if they’re as funny in person, hoping the conversation flows and none of the red flags jump out at you. Yet somehow nature, dentures, wardrobe choices, metaphysics or sheer bad luck sometimes intervene and ruin the magic. The result: tales you’ll tell your friends and laugh about later (once you’ve safely recovered). The Guardian collected a series of such disasters and, yes, they’re as wild as you hope and fear. The Guardian

1. The bird-kiss disaster
   One dater reports: everything was going well, they hit the sweet spot of post-dinner chatting, then during a long goodbye kiss… a bird flew into a wall above them and dropped dead right in front of their faces. The date ended right then.  
   Lesson: If wildlife literally dies around you mid-smooch, maybe the universe is sending a signal.

2. The “partial denture in spaghetti” moment
   Another had dinner, good vibes, until the man’s partial denture launched out of his mouth and landed in her spaghetti. He calmly retrieved it, popped it back in, and kept talking like nothing happened.  
   Lesson: There’s “awkward moment” and then there’s “I’m eating pasta with someone’s false teeth in it” level.

3. The crash-worthy bike date
   The idea: a cute bike ride for a first date. Reality: the date ended with the man’s legs and midsection run-over by a truck. Yep. Romantic two-wheel ride turned into hospital visits. 
   Lesson: Maybe skip adrenaline-ridden ‘fun’ on a first outing until you’re more comfortable with each other.

4. The “hike for someone on crutches” setup
   She’d mentioned she was on crutches. He still planned a “short hike”. She slipped, fell, felt humiliated, and he spent the rest of the date berating her for being “less sporty” than her profile suggested.  
   Lesson: When mobility limitations meet ambitious outdoor activities without adjustment, expect disaster.

5. The boxer-shorts arrival
   Dinner plan: casual but presentable. Actual arrival: he showed up wearing his white boxer-shorts as outer-wear (yes, no pants) and a T-shirt. His explanation involved motorcycles and drumming and… something about forgetting pants.  
   Lesson: If your date treats outerwear like it’s just an optional accessory, it’s a red flag (or at least a warning sign).

Ready to skip the horror show and aim for the “actually fun and memorable (in a good way)” first date instead? Join us at OBC, where you’re more likely to meet someone who knows what pants are for and can hold conversation without dentures flipping or truck collisions included. Sign up now and let’s make your next “first date story” one you tell because it’s great, not because you had to escape it.