Man on double date realizes he’s the 4th wheel

One of these men is going home to a sock and tears. Photo Texas Travesty

AUSTIN—On Friday, local computer programmer Daniel Cole realized he was the fourth wheel on his double date after a string of events suggested that his presence at the date was completely unnecessary.

“I suspected that I was the fourth wheel when all three of them sat on the same side of the table,” explained Cole, who was flatly ignored by friend Robert Garrison and acquaintances Sarah Harding and Melissa Jones when he first arrived at the Eastside Café. “That was when I started to think something may be going on.”

The double date was arranged by Garrison earlier in the week when he called Cole to tell him about two female friends that were interested in having a good time.

“I was excited about meeting Melissa for the first time,” explained Cole, who spent almost an hour on the date watching Garrison openly flirt with both women. “I thought we would really hit it off, but I’m not even sure if she realized I was there.”

“At one point she asked Robert why the ‘bus boy,’ was still sitting next to her,” added Cole.

Cole’s suspicions intensified after the group ordered their entrees. “Sarah and Melissa said they’d be sharing the lobster, and then they smiled at each other,” Obviously I was not included in the joke,” explained Cole. He later estimated that the three made references to “sharing” no less than 50 times throughout the hour-long dinner.

“They said if they shared something now there would be plenty of room for dessert, which is strange, because this restaurant doesn’t serve dessert,” added Cole.

Things continued to head downhill for Cole as he went on to watch both women touch Garrison’s leg in provocative ways after a round of drinks and could feel them playing with each other’s feet under the table. At one point Cole did feel a foot touch his own, but it was immediately followed by a quick apology and explanation from Jones, saying that her “foot slipped.”

As the group was preparing to leave the restaurant, Sarah Harding mentioned that she had to use the restroom, to which Garrison and Jones replied that they had to do the same. After almost thirty minutes had passed, Cole began to wonder if everything was okay.

“I called the waiter over to see if he could check on them, and when he came back, he told me everything was A-okay,” said Cole. “When they came back, they all looked like they finished a marathon. They said the air conditioning was out.”

Cole was last seen at a nearby bar where Garrison, Harding, and Jones promised to meet him. “There wasn’t enough room in their cab for all of us,” said Cole as he began pacing back and forth in anticipation. “I’m sure they’ll be here any second.”