Douchebag ruined our evening, or why you can't be too careful

[mathnerd]

Friday night, I went out with a couple of girlfriends. This should have been a fun evening. We went to a bar we really like. It's a swanky kind of place with nice, cushy chairs, almost a living room feel, generally decent live music, and the bartender is a great guy who's also nice too look at.

So, there we are, chatting, laughing and generally having a great time. Two of us got up to go to the bathroom and right before we returned, the bartender served our second round. Shortly into the second round, one of the girls got that hinky feeling that something wasn't right. There was a guy trying to talk to us that just gave off the wrong vibe. We paid off our tab, even though we hadn't finished those drinks and went somewhere else.

We settled into the second bar and the girl who got that weird feeling started getting far too drunk for the amount of alcohol she'd consumed. She switched to soda, thinking maybe she just hadn't eaten enough, and thought about getting some food. Unfortunately, she started getting really sick, so we headed home.

Once we got home, the real fun started. At this point it had been about 90 minutes since she started to get sick. She was reporting symptoms of extremely relaxed muscles, heavy limbs that were difficult to move, and violent nausea (puking to the point of dry heaves), and mild hallucinations. She was afraid to go to sleep. Now, I know she probably should have gone to the hospital at this point, but she had her reasons for not going. Between friends here and a friend in another state who was more than willing to take a 3am phone call (his time), she was able to stay awake until the symptoms started subsiding. At some point in the night, she realized that her drink must have been drugged. Based on the symptoms, we're guessing Ketamine.

Well, I'm pissed. Sure, we made some mistakes. The drinks were briefly unattended, though the bartender was right there as well. We've been to this bar quite a few times, and have no reason to distrust the bartender. He's an awesome guy. I'm not sure what creepy guy's plan was. This bar is in the lobby of a hotel. Maybe he was going to try to be the knight in (not so) shining armor when the girl got sick and offer her a place to lay down? We're definitely smarter than that. None of us would have gone alone anywhere with a stranger.

Thankfully everything ended reasonably well. The one girl was pretty sick for a while, but unharmed. But it just goes to show that you really can't be too careful.

[Teysa]

Wow. I'm glad your friend is all right and nothing worse happened. Any chance of them catching creepy guy? I'm sure this isn't the first time he's tried something like this.

[Deserted]

Based on the symptoms, we're guessing Ketamine.

Bit of advice: if this sort of thing ever happens again, do yourself/ves a favor and head to the ER. Date rape drugs are easy to OD on.

[mathnerd]

Bit of advice: if this sort of thing ever happens again, do yourself/ves a favor and head to the ER. Date rape drugs are easy to OD on.

She had a few understandable reasons for not wanting to go to the ER. I can't get into it, but her friends are competent enough to know when to override her wishes and call rescue if it had become necessary. As long as she was talking and mostly coherent, we were fine with monitoring the situation at home. It might have made recovery easier though, if we had done it anyway.

Teysa, since she didn't want the police involved, no, they're not going to catch him. That's my only regret. There's probably video at the bar, but the chances of catching some random dude are pretty small, even if she did file a police report.

[Gravekeeper]

At the very least notify the bar in case the next girl isn't so lucky. =/

[mathnerd]

Gravekeeper, that's in the plans. The bartender was already concerned before we ever left, but that was before we suspected anything like this. We'll be back to that bar. It's a great place (and have I mentioned the bartender is HOT?). I don't blame the bar at all.

[Victory Sabre]

Sickos like that make things so much tougher on legit single guys looking for some special lady.

Glad your friend is ok.

[Seshat]

No, it's not the bar's fault.


Victory: ABSOLUTELY.

At one point, four of us - two guys, two girls - were talking about creeps and sickos like that, and how difficult it makes life for both genders.

The other woman pointed out that if she didn't know him, she'd have to behave warily/carefully around Toth (my husband). Toth nodded, and explained how he crosses the street to avoid the appearance of following women who happen to be ahead of him and travelling the same way.
The other male mentioned similar precautions he takes, and - well. We all ended up commisserating, and absolutely HATING the 'nads off the kind of male who gives women reasons to have to be wary.

It messes up everyone's life.

[Gravekeeper]

The other male mentioned similar precautions he takes, and - well. We all ended up commisserating, and absolutely HATING the 'nads off the kind of male who gives women reasons to have to be wary.

I do stuff like this all the time. Day or night, inside or outside, but especially at night. It was my mom that taught me about it when I was in my teens. To make sure I stayed aware of how I might appear regardless of what I was doing.

I mean, to me I'm just making a late night munchie run to 7/11. But to a woman out walking, I could be the 6 foot something shadow in a hooded sweatshirt that seems to be following her because we're coincidentally walking in the same direction.

[blas]

This is why I usually risk getting an open container fine if I want to smoke while I'm out drinking. Or I always pick a place with a beer garden or place I can take my drink everywhere I go.

[Akasa]

My best friend and I KNOW to watch our drinks, but one night we were out with another friend who didn't know our precautions or didn't take them seriously I don't know which. My best friend and other friend went to the bar for another round of drinks. The bartender put the drinks in front of friend and best friend paid. Then they took the drinks and gave them to the right people. My best friend CAN NOT get drunk. Her kidneys process the alcohol out of her system too fast for her to even get a buzz. So when she started feeling and acting drunk we were very quickly alarmed and knew someone had slipped something into her drink because friend wasn't watching them as she should have been.

[Seshat]

I mean, to me I'm just making a late night munchie run to 7/11. But to a woman out walking, I could be the 6 foot something shadow in a hooded sweatshirt that seems to be following her because we're coincidentally walking in the same direction.

I HATE being in a world like this. I really do. But sadly, this is the world we have.

And Gravekeeper? Your mother was a wise woman, and you are a kind and thoughtful gentleman. Thank you.

And thank you to all the other kind and thoughtful gentlemen who read this.

[Pimento]

Wow that sucks.

This does actually happen to guys too. 2 years ago during my darker years I was at a party in a suite in the casino here. Lots of people i knew. But this one girl wouldn't stop grinding on me despite me repeatedly telling her I'm married and not interested.

Of course by the time I was well into my night I didn't object to the drink she brought me and noticed a funky feeling about 20 mins after. Luckily there was already enough junk in my system that I didn't hit the floor or get all woozy/stumble around/pass out. But it definitely sobered me up enough to get the hell out of there.

I mean she was pretty and coulda had her pick. Not sure why that was called for with the one married dude lol

[Gravekeeper]

And Gravekeeper? Your mother was a wise woman, and you are a kind and thoughtful gentleman. Thank you.

My mother was a single parent that worked two jobs and long hours so she often had to walk home fairly late at night. She was mugged at least once, far as I know ( I was only 6-7 ).

After that I got in trouble once for sneaking out and showing up at her office to walk her home armed with Leonardo's plastic toy katanas.

<cough>

[mathnerd]

I was telling a friend about this and his response was "Huh? You're always paranoid about these things? How in the world did that happen?" And he's right. I'm usually paranoid, but it just takes one second of not being super vigilant for something like this to happen.

And I totally hate having to feel like all men are out to get us women. I really wish I could just go out and have a good time and not having to worry about me or my friends getting hurt.