Our first date entered the public record

He suggested coffee followed by “a little civic adventure.” As a woman trying to stop dating men whose only hobby is explaining their television, I found this promising. The adventure was a town council meeting. Fine. Free activity. Chairs. Then he handed me a binder labeled OUR FUTURE and explained that the gazebo had a strict event limit. He wanted an exception for our wedding. I reminded him we'd just met. He said permits took time and he liked to be proactive. When public comments opened, he marched to the microphone and introduced me as his intended. I stayed seated. He displayed a seating chart with my family listed as “TBD, probably agreeable.” The chair asked whether we had an event date. He said he was waiting for me to stop being mysterious. I walked up, clarified that we were not engaged, and requested directions to the exit. Later he texted, “You embarrassed me in front of local government.” At least there's an official record of me saying no.