It started with a simple problem.
My school friends were meeting after five years.
Everyone was posting about promotions, foreign trips, and “hustle life.” And there I was — still calculating EMI before ordering dessert.
But ego is a dangerous advisor.
I decided that for one evening, I would act rich.
I booked a table at an expensive restaurant — the kind where even the water looks confident.
When I arrived, I casually said to the waiter,
“Bring the menu.”
He handed it over.
I opened it.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Why was everything priced like it came with ownership rights?
But my friends were already impressed.
“Wow bro, fancy place!” one of them said.
My ego grew stronger.
“Order whatever you want,” I said confidently — the most financially irresponsible sentence of my life.
They ordered starters I couldn’t pronounce. Drinks that required explanation. Desserts that sounded like software updates.
I laughed loudly at jokes. Nodded wisely at business talks. Pretended I understood investment terms.
Inside, I was doing math at lightning speed.
When the bill arrived, I tried to look calm.
My heart stopped.
It was equal to my monthly grocery budget.
Still, I smiled.
“I’ll pay,” I said heroically.
I tapped my card.
Transaction declined.
I laughed nervously.
“Network issue.”
Second attempt.
Declined again.
At this point, even the waiter looked concerned.
My friend leaned over and said,
“Bro… are you okay?”
That was the moment my ego packed its bags and left.
I took a deep breath and said,
“Guys… I may have slightly overestimated my financial status.”
Silence.
Then laughter.
Big, uncontrollable laughter.
One friend said,
“You could’ve just said you’re on a budget. We came to meet you, not your wallet.”
We split the bill.
We ordered cheaper tea afterward from a roadside stall.
And honestly?
That tea tasted better than the entire expensive dinner.
That night I learned something important:
People are impressed for five minutes.
Debt stays impressed for five months.
Since then, I stopped acting rich.
Now I act wise.
Much cheaper.
🧠 Moral : The Day I Tried to Act Rich
Trying to impress others can cost more than just money.
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