"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "aem" > wrote
>>On May 30, 5:50 pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>>
>>> You hear stories like this and every time you do it's just as
>>> incredible. Okay, I think asking to bring the main course is
>>> weird, but maybe if she'd offered to pay for it? Still. But then,
>>> telling her what wines to bring?? Hello, pick it up yourself, that
>>> takes no skill!
>
>>Stories like this are confusing. At first glance they may seem
>>outrageous, but there can be mitigating circumstances. For one thing,
>>"lovely home in a nice neighborhood" may mean they all have plenty of
>>money and $200 as the cost of contributing to a special party for her
>>husband may seem insignificant to the chef's wife. For another, wives
>>sometimes misjudge how close the friendship is between their husbands
>>and third parties. She may have thought they were close enough that
>>they'd welcome a big role in this surprise party.
>
> And when that didn't work out, she thought the other neighbor was
> close enough to welcome that role?
>
> I've seen crazy stories like this before. People throwing a party in
> a restaurant, then when it was over, dividing the bill among the
> surprised "guests" ... things like that.
> nancy

ugh. I have had that happen. At a steak place that was well over my budget.
I was invited to a 'party' I ate a baked potato and salad (At the time I
wasn't eating animal products) and then they took the bill and split it 10
ways. I ended up paying 3X as much as I would have if I just had paid my
own bill. I was young and didn't say anything. I would now.