"AITA for offending my date by laughing at him?"
I went on a first date with a guy I had been chatting with for a few weeks. At first he seemed confident in a normal way, but the moment we sat down at the restaurant he started talking about himself like he was giving a presentation. He went on about his job, his car, the gym, the expensive places he travels to, and how everyone supposedly asks him for advice about everything.
I tried to steer the conversation toward something more balanced so we could actually get to know each other, but he kept circling back to his accomplishments as if he had a checklist to complete.
At one point he started describing how he was apparently the best at every hobby he had ever tried. It was so over the top that I let out a small laugh because it sounded like a parody of a brag. I was not trying to mock him.
It just slipped out because the moment felt so exaggerated and I did not know how else to react. He suddenly stopped talking and stared at me like I had ruined the whole evening.
He asked why I laughed, but before I could explain properly he pushed his chair back a little and said he did not think this was working. He paid for his meal, stood up, and said he had somewhere else to be. I stayed and finished my drink because I did not know what else to do.
Later that night he sent a short message saying the date was not what he expected. I did not respond because the situation already felt strange and I did not want to continue the conversation.
I keep wondering if laughing at the wrong moment made me the problem, or if anyone would have reacted the same after listening to someone talk like they were auditioning for something. So AITA?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Hopeful_Comfort2763 said:
Absolutely not! Laughing at a first date because someone won’t stop bragging is a totally human reaction. You were just reacting to how over-the-top it felt.
Adventurous-Term5062 said:
NTA and you dodged a bullet.
facinationstreet said:
NTA and YOU should have ended the date. Just block him and move on.
Decent_Bed_ said:
You met an overgrown toddler, be glad he’s not wasting more of your time.
Rocks_are_FR33 said:
NTA-- narcissists HATE being laughed at. You saved yourself a lot of headache by appropriately chuckling at his absurd claim to being the best at everything (another hallmark of clinical narcissism).
[deleted] said:
NTA by a country mile. Your laugh was both appropriate and saved you from a self-centered creep.
WeirdcoolWilson said:
It was a first date - you actually did get to know him. You’re fine, NTA.