He invited us to dinner and then excused himself before the waiter brought the bill
DEAR ABBY:
A friend invited me to his birthday dinner at a popular restaurant. I brought a nice bottle of wine and a small book as a gift. There were 10 people at the table, including one who had flown in from Chicago and another from L.A.
After dinner, while we were chatting, the birthday boy excused himself. While he was gone, the waiter presented the bill—and it became clear that the rest of us were expected to cover his birthday celebration. Split among us, it came to $99 each. I put it on my credit card without comment, but I was stunned.
I would never invite friends out and then expect them to pay for my own celebration. I asked a couple of other friends, and they agreed that this behavior was unacceptable. Am I out of touch with social norms?
— STUNNED IN SAN FRANCISCO
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