Feeling duped by "friends"

[amyharris0919]

Here's the background. DS10 has a really good friend that he has shared two grades with and has now played on the same baseball team with for two years. In fact, the friend's step-dad is the baseball coach. As a result of all this togetherness and the fact that our boys love spending time together, we have gotten friendly with the mom and step-dad. Let's just call them the Smiths.

Back in June, the Smiths asked us for a night out with two other couples (so 4 couples in total) for Mr. Smith's birthday. We were genuinely flattered that they wanted to include us in this celebration! We went to dinner and then did an escape room. We paid for our own dinner, and at the end of the night, the Smiths told all of us that they had to book and pay for the escape room up front, and it was going to be $65 per couple. I thought at the time that was high, but I didn't know. Some of those places are pretty expensive, it was a Saturday night, etc.

However, I am planning to book a room for some us and some other friends at the same location. When I went to book it (on a Saturday night), I noticed that it's $120. For the room, no matter how many people are in there. Hmmm.

Now I'm feeling duped by these people that we really genuinely liked. And I'm trying to figure out what to do, if anything. Part of me wants to confront and ask for an explanation. But I really don't want to mess up DS's good friendship with the other boy. Plus, we are planning to continue to play on the same baseball team. So on the other hand, maybe I just let it go and be a little less trusting in the future. You know, "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me".

Thoughts?

 

[Mizzoufan]

I'd let it go

 

[soccerdad72]

I'd let it go

I agree, but I'm not a big fan of confrontation.

 

[cabanafrau]

I'd chalk it up as a lesson learned, write off the cost and simply don't get fooled again.

 

[amberpi]

I hate that happened. I've had my share of paying too much/subsidizing someone else's fun. I don't bring it up. Not worth it, I just decline future invites. I was involved, as in I was there not a part of the swabble, of a serious scene at a resort on the gulf due to the organizer not only telling us an amount for the condo that covered her part of the condo plus several hundred dollars. I had flown everyone down on points and used points for the car (which I didn't care about). My folks would have also let us use their free and nicer condo. The girl who figured it out had a drink throwing fit with the girl who did it - at the pool in front of God and everyone.

 

[JaxDad]

Is it possible that the price was higher back in June, or maybe they recently switched from per person pricing to per room? I have definitely seen prices as high or higher than $65 for two people at some escape rooms...

 

[mummabear]

Maybe you should let it go but for me personally it would really bug me, I think I would ask them how it came to $65.
Did they then "shout" dinner?
If there ends up being any damage to the friendship it's not because you asked for an explanation but because they lied.

 

[mummabear]

Is it possible that the price was higher back in June, or maybe they recently switched from per person pricing to per room? I have definitely seen prices as high or higher than $65 for two people at some escape rooms...

Op-you could ask the business if there pricing has changed

 

[cabanafrau]

Maybe you should let it go but for me personally it would really bug me, I think I would ask them how it came to $65.
Did they then "shout" dinner?
If there ends up being any damage to the friendship it's not because you asked for an explanation but because they lied.

Fat lot of good it does the kid.

 

[Daniela Rose]

We've done the escape rooms a few times and it's about $60 per couple. Maybe it changed from per person to renting the room? We hadn't to pay per person and there's a cap on each room.

I'd also let it go, but I would def distance myself from them if that's really what happened.

I would probably also play detective and call the place and ask them incognito. Not the couple themselves.

 

[mummabear]

Fat lot of good it does the kid.

First of all kids friendships are seperate from adults.
Secondly I wouldn't be worried my kid was hanging out with dishonest people

 

[cabanafrau]

First of all kids friendships are seperate from adults.
Secondly I wouldn't be worried my kid was hanging out with dishonest people

Not what I said.

I'm referring to OP's kid. A strain between the parents definitely has potential to damage his friendship with their son -- and his relationship with his coach.

 

[smiths02]

We've done the escape rooms a few times and it's about $60 per couple. Maybe it changed from per person to renting the room? We hadn't to pay per person and there's a cap on each room.

I'd also let it go, but I would def distance myself from them if that's really what happened.

I would probably also play detective and call the place and ask them incognito. Not the couple themselves.

I might find out if they were lying by asking the business, but otherwise I would let it go. Consider it a birthday gift, gift for coaching your son's team.
ETA: It's a $35 difference, even if they were lying. (My math was wrong at first)

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I hate that happened. I've had my share of paying too much/subsidizing someone else's fun. I don't bring it up. Not worth it, I just decline future invites. I was involved, as in I was there not a part of the swabble, of a serious scene at a resort on the gulf due to the organizer not only telling us an amount for the condo that covered her part of the condo plus several hundred dollars. I had flown everyone down on points and used points for the car (which I didn't care about). My folks would have also let us use their free and nicer condo. The girl who figured it out had a drink throwing fit with the girl who did it - at the pool in front of God and everyone.

I'm sorry I missed that

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I would let it go but decline any more invitations from them.

 

[smiths02]

I would let it go but decline any more invitations from them.

I wouldn't necessarily decline invitations, but definitely decline anything where they are handling the money or splitting the bill or decline that part of the evening.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I totally agree kids and parents friendship totally separate trust me I speak from experience

 

[amberpi]

I'm sorry I missed that

Yeah, I wish I had missed the whole scene. The woman who organized it apparently didn't think about the rental company slipping an invoice under the door in the middle of the day. Woman who found the invoice was going to get us more drinks, so was armed. It was Jerry Springer-esque. Weird stuff happens to me on the Gulf.

 

[cabanafrau]

There was a post here a while back from someone who had been vacationing for years in a group of families, with one person being the lead organizer every year for accommodations, etc. I forget the details of how or why, but somehow the person posting here had come to learn the organizer was getting free vacation accommodations for years, and when confronted had said they were entitled and threatened to essentially put a social hit out on the poster who found out and was looking to put a stop to it. Sounded like a real mess because it involved an entire family's network of friendships going back several years.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

I would not say anything. But it would leave a sour taste. I would distance myself from this couple.

The snarkier side of me would say to her "Oh my goodness. I think you got ripped off last month at the Escape Room. Would you believe I called to book it and they said it was only $120!"