To think this was a weird thing to do?

[SpottedGurnard]

Some good friends (a couple) invited me and dp out to the cinema. We havn't been out for ages as we have young dc. Had a babysitter booked but cancelled at the last minute!

Dp said he'd look after the children so I could go and have some adult conversation and I rang my friends to say I would be there in 15 mins. Our friends had turned up half an hour before the film was due to start so I asked them if they could get me a ticket so we could guarantee we'd all be together (the cinema allocates everyone a seat). I said I would pay them back when I got there.

They refused to briefly shell out the extra money for a ticket and went in to sit and wait for the film. When I arrived the film had sold out so I had to come home (feeling like an unwanted puppy).

AIBU to think they could have got a ticket? We have known them for a long time so it's not as if they can't trust me. They are far from hard up so it wasn't a money problem.

Excuse makes it even odder IMO! Surely they would have simply left the ticket at ticket office/booth with you name for you to collect if they were concerned about that.

I guess people look at things in different ways. Maybe they are just reacting to something else that has happened to them in the past (not with you) and they don't want to repeat it?

These little differences in attitude can be quite illuminating in respect to whether or not the friendship will continue as closely in future. I know I have friends who I will (almost) happily accept these things from and other who have fallen by the wayside as a result.

Anyway, YANBU - I would have got you a ticket and waited outside for you until the moment the film started.

They are odd do not waste a babysitter booking on them again, my only conclusion is they are secret swingers and were hoping for a little foursome fun après-viewing.

YANBU unless they were desperately skint, in which case they were being a bit daft to go to the cinema anyway. (Or if you have a history of not paying back for things, I'm assuming not though)

Princess, seriously, you'd be offended if one of your friends/your OH's friends turned up without their partner? How much hand-holding do your friends need in the cinema anyway? It isn't even like you'd be doing much entertaining - that's what the film is for! My OH hates going to the cinema, if we are invited out by friends I jump at the chance to go because it strikes me as a bit pointless to go on my own. However, I don't see the need to drag him along and have him fidgeting and muttering about being hungry and bored and needing the loo worry about whether he's enjoying the experience or not. I figure that our friends understand this...

they didnt want you to come along. They sound like a couple of arseholes and id dump them for that

It is funny how different friends can be. I would have no problem getting a ticket for someone who was on their way. I also wouldn't have a problem waiting for someone outside the cinema (especially when you get allocated seats!).

Ah well. I'll remember this for the future. FWIW me and my dp commonly have another person with us when we go out. We have a few single friends who we invite out for dinner or to the cinema.It's not awkward for us- the more the merrier!

Is it possible they simply did not have the cash? I was VERY ed faced once when a friend asked me to pay for her things in the cafe until she got to a chashpoint as I had literally enough to pay for mine! I had to say "I dont have enough..."

I have to conclude they didn't want you there. Sorry.

That's so bloody rude of them. I wouldn't be able to forget it, I'm afraid. I wouldn't want to make any more plans to do anything with them in future either. Selfish twats.