‘Charge him $250’: Her date mentioned his ex three times in 15 mins. Realizing she cannot be like his ex, the woman becomes the ultimate matchmaker

A New York City content creator described a first-date scene that, in her telling, stopped being a date after her companion kept talking about a former partner. Emily Bonani, who posts on TikTok as @bananabonani, shared the story in a video that has reached 2 million views.

Bonani said in the video that she was speaking to the camera from an indoor setting with a plain white wall behind her. She appeared in a white top with red polka dots and light blue and white nail polish as she laid out the hypothetical.

She stated, “We’re on a first date. You bring up your ex.” She said she let the person talk, and they moved forward. She then said that five minutes later the ex came up again, and she let it pass a second time.

She said she shifted from date to therapist after the third mention

Bonani said the pattern happened a third time. “5 minutes later, you bring up your ex again,” she stated. At that point, she said, “I realize you wish this was a date with your ex.” She said she could not become the ex, so she chose another role. “Realizing that I cannot become your ex, I have decided that I will now become something much more valuable. I become a therapist. We dive in,” she said in the TikTok.

She described the next steps this way: “You tell me what happened. I tell you what actually happened.” She said they pulled out the phone. The date, she stated, claimed the ex did not want contact. Bonani said she told him the opposite: “She wants to hear from you. She just wants to hear you say something different than what you’ve said.”

She said they texted twice with no reply, then called. “We call her, she answers,” Bonani stated. She said the date asked to meet right then, and the ex agreed, “cuz she’s been waiting for you too.” She added, “You guys are actually in love.”

Bonani said the ex came to the bar while she was still there. “I then mediate your relationship,” she stated. “Turns out you guys just couldn’t communicate, and now magically you can. Everything’s solved. You get back together.”

She closed the clip with, “and then I f–k the bartender or something, I don’t know.” The caption on the post read, “Actually you have a friend for me. I meet him at your wedding.” This kind of dating drama can take many forms, like when a woman brings a Tupperware container on a first date.

Viewers responded to the bit in the comments. One person joked that the bartender had been listening the whole time, writing, “lmaoo bartender was eavesdropping the entire time.” Another commenter tied the scene to their own weekend shift and wrote, “I’m bartendering this weekend. You should have your date here.”

A third suggested the story had a longer afterlife, stating, “You also get invited to be the wedding officiant.” Someone else compared the monologue to television, writing, “This would be the perfect first episode of a sitcom.” Another commenter praised the tone of the video, saying, “You’re so mature on so many levels it’s crazy.” One person joked that she should charge him, writing, “No you charge him $250.”

One viewer said a first date of their own had taken a similar turn. They wrote, “a guy I went on a first date with has since become a friend. i realised he was NOT over his ex.” A further commenter addressed Bonani directly: “you’re such a beautiful soul girl! keep doing good in the world.” Sometimes a date’s focus on the past or other issues leads to a quick end, though the problems can vary, as a Houston woman canceled after her date refused to pay for her extra food order.