Woman Flees Date After Spotting 17 Bottles Of Body Wash In The Shower — But What's The Big Deal?
She referred to her date's bizarre habit as a "red flag" but most people could not find the problem.
RossHelen / Canva; @Missmcnallyy / TikTok Whether it's a date who brings along their intrusive mother or one who monopolizes the conversation, we've all encountered first-date nightmares.
However, one particular first date story has been making the rounds on social media and striking people differently, as it does not appear to be anywhere close to the nightmares most singles are used to.
A woman noticed 17 bottles of body wash in her date’s shower.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed over 10 million times, Jordan McNally made an unusual discovery in her date's bathroom that she referred to as a “red flag.” Before promptly bailing, McNally revealed, “I just got to his house and I’m in his bathroom,” whispering into the camera. “What the [expletive] is this?!” she said before panning the camera into the shower.
On a shelf in the shower stall, there are a variety of Herbal Essences body washes, shampoos, and conditioners. The bottles appear to be different scents, varying between being mostly full, half-empty, and nearly empty. McNally claimed that there are a total of 17 bottles in the shower.
Clearly feeling unsettled by the shower discovery, she shared that she was “about to fake a family emergency” so that she could bail on her date.
Viewers provided their own interpretations on why there was so much soap in the shower.
Some people believe that her date often used coupons, allowing him to buy multiple bottles in one shopping trip. Others speculated that he was indecisive about his body wash, conditioner, and shampoo choices, which resulted in him buying multiple scents. Some were joyfully convinced that he was using the different bottles to make potions.
The biggest takeaway, however, is that most people did not see her date's fully stocked shower as a big deal, let alone a red flag.
Photo: monticello / Shutterstock
One person even theorized that McNally’s date could be suffering from OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder) symptoms, and hoarded a large quantity of items.
According to psychologists, some people with OCD may hoard multiple of the same items in their homes as a way to manage their intrusive thoughts. “Hoarding OCD might include certain purchasing rituals or making sure a person has a certain number of an item in their home,” licensed clinical psychologist Nicholas Farrell wrote in an article on NOCD, further adding, "they may feel that they can only purchase soda in multiples of two or something bad will happen.”
There is a chance that McNally’s date had compulsive thoughts regarding his cleanliness and hygiene, which could explain the surplus of body-cleansing products in the shower.
However, this should probably not be considered a 'red flag' behavioral trait that one should be encouraged to run away from.
As humans, we all have our quirks that help us manage our comfort levels, like constantly chewing gum or crossing and uncrossing our legs when seated. As long as the behavior is not harming anyone else, there is no need to make a fuss about it.
McNally's fabulously smelling date may have a peculiar habit or, in this case, collection, but it certainly posed no immediate threat — unless he had an unknown nefarious plan to squirt shampoo into her eyes.
Photo: Prostock-Studio / Shutterstock
Instead of assuming the worst and fleeing from her date’s house, she could have easily asked him about it.
He most likely is not using Herbal Essences to make potions, and without knowing details, it's unfair to assume anything negative about his character based on his penchant for varying soap scents.
Maybe he simply enjoys experimenting with new scents each day. Maybe he likes mixing the scents together as one. And even maybe, just maybe, he could have sparked McNally's interest in collecting Herbal Essences herself.
The possibilities are odiferous and endless. To get a clear answer on why people in our lives may do the things we don't understand, all we have to do is ask them.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.