For years, my wealthy in-laws played the same tired game: order the most expensive items on the menu, then vanish when the check came. They thought they were clever, but everyone knew their routine. When they invited my modest schoolteacher mother to a “special birthday dinner,” I saw their trap coming a mile away.
“Mom,” I pleaded, “they’re going to stick you with a huge bill!” She just patted my hand and said, “I’ve handled worse than your in-laws, dear.”
The night played out exactly as predicted. My mother-in-law’s diamond bracelet probably cost more than my car, yet somehow her purse was “accidentally” left at home. My father-in-law’s custom suit had pockets mysteriously empty when the $1,800 bill arrived. Like magic, the whole family developed urgent reasons to step outside.
What they didn’t count on was my mom’s secret weapon – decades of teaching elementary school meant she knew everyone in town, including the restaurant’s owner. One quiet word to the waiter, and suddenly the manager was calling my in-laws to politely inform them the police would be involved if they didn’t return to pay.
The look on their faces when they had to sheepishly come back to the restaurant was priceless. Even better? The 25% “staff inconvenience charge” the manager added to their bill. These days, my in-laws are suddenly very conscientious about settling their tabs – a small miracle courtesy of one retired teacher who knows how to handle bullies.
