Vault: Her First Date In 25 Years Was Ruined By Her Ex!

Summary

The Bert Show — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Vault: Her First Date In 25 Years Was Ruined By Her Ex!
Date: April 1, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show centers on listener Leah’s emotional journey: her return to dating after 25 years, her traumatic divorce following a cancer diagnosis, and an unexpectedly disastrous first date marred by her date’s overbearing ex-wife. The hosts, with their signature humor and empathy, walk through Leah’s story, reflecting on boundaries, resilience, and the challenges of post-divorce dating.

---

Key Discussion Points

Leah’s Background: Loss & Resilience (00:39–03:19)

• Leah shares her story: After 15 years of marriage, she was diagnosed with cancer. On the day of her diagnosis, her husband left and never returned.
  • Leah (00:39): “It's my first date in 25 years. I was married for 15 years. I got diagnosed with cancer ... I went home and he never came home.”
• She learns her husband quit his job and left suddenly, later explaining he needed a new life.
  • Leah (01:45): “He was like, no, I've got to have a new life. You're selfish if you don't let me go.”
• Her ex quickly divorces her and remarries a 19-year-old. Leah’s motivation to survive was her children:
  • Leah (02:39): “I survived because that 19 year old bimbo and that crazy man were not gonna raise my children.”
• Leah spent the next 10 years rebuilding her life, focusing on her child and herself.

---

Returning to Dating: Hope & Anxiety (03:19–04:45)

• Leah describes finally meeting someone at her son's football games—after a long period focused on family and self-growth.
  • Leah (03:45): “I was very nervous and very excited just to do something fun after ... all these years.”

---

The Date Gone Wrong: Red Flags Unfold (04:45–09:50)

Friday Night: The Restaurant Incident (04:45–07:13)

• Plans for an enjoyable evening sour when her date’s ex-wife arrives at the restaurant, inserts herself into Leah’s seat, and disrupts the evening.
  • Leah (05:37): “She introduces herself as his ex-wife ... she has moved my jacket and my purse and my plate into the table, and she's sitting in my spot.”
• Leah is surprised by her date’s passive reaction and lack of boundaries:
  • Leah (07:13): “You have to set boundaries with her ... I feel like I was in some kind of weird soap opera.”

Saturday Morning: Boundaries Tested Again (07:57–08:44)

• As Leah and her date prepare for their next outing, the ex-wife follows him to Leah’s driveway and insists on staying nearby.
  • Leah (08:04): “She steps out of the car and she goes, 'Where are we? I was following you to the game.'”
• The hosts react with disbelief and humor, comparing it to the movie "Obsessed."
• At the baseball game, the ex-wife sits next to them and answers for him—again, her date does nothing.

Second Game & Leah’s Breaking Point (08:44–09:50)

• Leah finally distances herself, joining a friend in the stands. When her son is injured, she leaves with him, further highlighting her date’s inability to set boundaries.
  • Leah (09:31): “She says, 'You cannot leave me here. I don't know where I am, and I won't know how to get home.' And he kind of slouched back onto the bleachers like he was gonna stay.”

---

Reflection: Lessons and Moving Forward (09:52–11:12)

• Leah affirms she’s done with the man—wimpiness and lack of boundaries are deal breakers for her after all she’s endured.
  • Leah (10:26): “Wimpiness is not something I'm going to put up with. Like, I have done and been through too much. I don't need that.”
• Hosts empathize, insisting she made the right call and appreciating her resilience and self-respect.
  • Host Co-Host (10:48): “The good news is he set the bar so low for you that the next eight can't be that bad.”

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I survived because that 19 year old bimbo and that crazy man were not gonna raise my children.” —Leah (02:39)
• “You have to set boundaries with her ... that made me feel really weird.” —Leah (07:13)
• “Not wimpiness. I have done and been through too much. I don't need that.” —Leah (10:26)
• “Now that crazy woman knows where I live.” —Leah (10:36)
• “She gave him Saturday. What a wimp.” —Commentator (10:08)
• “The good news is he set the bar so low for you that the next eight can't be that bad.” —Host Co-Host (10:48)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:39 — Leah describes her husband leaving after cancer diagnosis
• 02:39 — Leah’s motivation to survive: protecting her children
• 03:45 — Leah’s nervousness and excitement about her first date
• 05:37 — Restaurant scene: ex-wife confrontation
• 07:13 — Leah calls out date’s lack of boundaries
• 08:04 — Ex-wife follows to Leah’s house and sits in the cul-de-sac
• 09:31 — Culminating moment at the game: “You cannot leave me here…”
• 10:26 — Leah’s empowering stance on not tolerating weakness

---

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode balances empathy, supportive humor, and candid discussion. The hosts encourage Leah’s self-worth and stand in solidarity through light teasing and heartfelt commentary on her ordeal. Despite the chaos of the date, Leah’s resilience and clarity are celebrated, leaving listeners with a sense of hope (and a bit of commiserating laughter) about the ups and downs of re-entering the dating world.

---

Summary Takeaway

Leah’s honest recounting of her first date in decades—derailed by her date’s former spouse and his lack of assertiveness—serves as both a cautionary tale and a testament to personal growth. The hosts emphasize that low standards set by others only make the path easier for worthwhile connections to shine in the future.

Transcript

[Cox Internet Advertiser]

Quieres mejor Internet? Cox Internet. The tresintas megas tiene las velocidades rapidas y com fiables que buscas perfecto para streaming e gaming y tres de casa todo por solo quarente cinco de almes con do gregas Cox mobo incul de wifi y guarantia deprecio de dos anos en tu plan nues cambia te hoy a Cox. The quiere Cox mobile gig unlimited guaranteed apresion, including.

[Host Burt]

The Burt show.

[Host Co-Host]

Alright, let's recap for some of you guys. Leah and her story. We were all pretty intrigued by this on Friday. Previously on the Burch Show.

[Leah]

It's my first date in 25 years. I was married for 15 years. I got diagnosed with cancer and I left the doctors that day. And my husband and I had gone in separate cars. I went home and he never came home. I didn't know where he was all weekend. And on Monday morning I called and he had quit his job. And my son is a football player for the school. And I just kind of randomly met this man at the football game and we struck up conversations this week. He said, we've kind of hung out and all that, but let's go on a real date.

[Host Co-Host]

Okay? So that was Leah from Friday. I mean, imagine that you're driving home thinking you're gonna see your husband after you get the gift.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Well, you're upset.

[Host Co-Host]

Yeah.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

And you need his support. And he wasn't there and never showed up again.

[Leah]

Weird.

[Host Co-Host]

Leah, we didn't get to get into this with you on Friday.

[Cox Internet Advertiser]

But.

[Host Co-Host]

But at what point did you realize, okay, this man is not coming home?

[Host Burt]

He just didn't run by Publix real quick for some chicken salad?

[Leah]

Maybe within two hours. I'm like, something's gone wrong, you know? And I'm calling cell phone, no one's answering.

[Host Burt]

Do you call the cops at any point? Go, oh, my God. He must have run off the road or there had to have been a wreck on Saturday.

[Leah]

I called every hospital I could think of, but he had kind of freaked out the first time. There was a disconnect. So I thought, okay, he's dealing. He's trying to deal with this. You know? When I found out on Monday that he had quit his job and someone knew where he was, and I went and talked to him, he was like, no, I've got to have a new life. You're selfish. If you don't let me go, I've only got maybe six months to meet someone, get married. And have them ready to take care of our children. Just cruel stuff, you know?

[Co-Host/Commentator]

I'm so sorry.

[Leah]

Like, I hung in there with you one time. I mean, it's really not fair to ask me to do it again. You know, just things like that.

[Host Co-Host]

You were leaving the doctor's office the day that you found out your cancer came back when he bailed?

[Leah]

Yes. Never came home that day.

[Host Co-Host]

Wow.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

So cruel.

[Leah]

Forever, really. He never really came back ever.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Do you think that that's what helped

[Leah]

you beat it, is because you knew you had to be there for your kids? Absolutely. Because, I mean, he filed for divorce immediately. We were divorced very quickly. Two weeks later, he said he was getting married to this 19 year old girl. And I said I survived because that 19 year old bimbo and that crazy man were not gonna raise my children. Good for you.

[Host Co-Host]

How old was he at the time?

[Leah]

39.

[Host Co-Host]

And he was marrying a 19 year old?

[Leah]

Yeah.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Okay, but enough about the bad style.

[Leah]

But enough about the past.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Enough about the past.

[Host Co-Host]

Yeah. So now we fast forward and obviously that takes a while to get over. And you've got other focuses in your life, right?

[Leah]

I've spent the last 10 years surviving, going back to school and just kind of establishing a life for me and my kid.

[Host Co-Host]

All right. And you and this guy have seen each other through little league games, baseball games and all that. You sat shoulder to shoulder and he made the move and said, you know what? This is the weekend. You and I need to do something a little bit more than just go and watch a baseball game. We need to go out and have some dinner or something.

[Leah]

Yeah.

[Host Co-Host]

So how are you feeling about it going? You must have been so nervous, so much anxiety.

[Leah]

I was very nervous and very excited just to do something fun after, you know, I've enjoyed my life. I'm not saying that, but just to do something fun, you know, just for me and something I wasn't working hard at and planning and just something, you know, fun after all these years.

[Host Co-Host]

Sure. So he sets the date up. Was he going to come and get you? Were you guys going to meet somewhere?

[Leah]

We were going on Friday night to our son's high school baseball game. It was a tournament. So then Saturday morning, no guys had to be dropped off at the bus like three hours before the game. So he was going to drop his son off at the bus, come over. We were gonna have breakfast, go to those two games on Saturday, and then go home and go out on a date.

[Host Co-Host]

Okay.

[Leah]

And things didn't go well.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Oh, no.

[Leah]

What happened all this time I've known him since last August. You know, I'm sensitive to somebody not being like, man, like, being a wimp about things. And I. I've seen him interact with his kids and his friends and my son and my friends. I never had a glimpse of any kind of wimpiness at all until Friday night. Got a glimpse of the trouble. Then we went to the game. No problem. Afterwards, people were gonna go to this little pizza place in town. Usually, you know, I drive, and maybe he's there, some other people there, but I actually rode with him. And on the way there, his son's cell phone rings. And I hear him saying where we're going. And I heard him say my name. Ms. Leah. Oh, Mom, Ms. Leah. Dad's friend. So I didn't think anything about it, but we go to the restaurant. We go through this little buffet line and get salad and sit down, and we're eating, we're talking, and this woman walks up.

[Host Burt]

Oh, no.

[Leah]

And I saw the look on his face, like, oh. And she sets his huge shopping bag down on the table, like, in between me and him. Big, tall shopping bag. And he says, what are you doing? She goes Christmas shopping, just out and about. It's April. But anyways, she introduces herself as his ex wife. And I'm just kind of like, well, okay, hello. Nice to meet you. But she just keeps standing there and talking. And I'm like, okay, I'm finished my salad. I'm going back over to the line. Get away from this. There were four of us sitting at a table for six. So there was two empty chairs down at the end of the table. So I get up and I go back through the line, and I come back, and she has moved my jacket and my purse and my plate into the table, and she's sitting in my spot, and I look at him, and he just kind of has this blank look on his face. My son's 18 years old. He's a senior in high school. He leans over me and goes, mom, what the. You know what's going on here? And I said, I have no idea. He said, well, I'm gonna go outside or I'm gonna punch the guy in the nose. And I'm like, okay, I'll meet you out there in a minute. So he goes outside. I go outside. I'm calling every friend I know. Like, I'm so mad that I don't have my own car, so I can't get out of there. But. And then I think, oh, my baseball bag is in his car. Well, it Wasn't a few minutes. None of my friends are answering. He comes out, and so I ride with him back to the school.

[Host Co-Host]

Well, what was his explanation about this? Like what?

[Leah]

He didn't say a word in the car. We got back and he walked me over to my car. I said, look, that was bizarre. I feel like I was in some kind of weird soap opera. Like, you cannot let that happen again. Like you have to set boundaries with her or something. I said, because that made me feel really weird. And it was like you didn't stand up for anything. And he was like, okay, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to, you know, her to cause a scene in a restaurant. I didn't know what she was up to, what was going on.

[Host Co-Host]

Yeah, big time red flag right there. You're never. You're not going to see this guy again, are you?

[Leah]

No.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Good. Okay. Yeah.

[Leah]

We did have plans for Saturday. To my house on Saturday morning. I was going fix breakfast. He comes to the door, and when I open the door, I see this woman pull in my driveway. No way. Not. Is she following him? She steps out of the car and she goes, where are we? I was following you to the game. Well, it's like three hours before the game is gonna start.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Get rid of him.

[Leah]

So I said, whoa, Handle this. So he goes out there and he talks to her and he comes in and he says, she's just gonna sit in the cul de sac and you've

[Host Co-Host]

got to making this up. Are you kidding?

[Host Burt]

Did you show? You didn't go to that movie? Obsessed.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Give me a break.

[Leah]

I really felt like I was in some bizarre soap opera the whole time.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Yeah.

[Leah]

We go to the game and she sits right beside us. Everything I ask him, she answers his questions. And I keep looking at him like, are you gonna do something? You know. Well, I finally had enough, and I got up and moved away from the two of them, and I sat with one of my friends. And in the second game, my son slid into home, had a collision with a catcher and hurt his ankle. The coach said, I think you need to take him to the hospital and have it checked out. So I walk over to him, I'm like, I'm sorry, but we have to go. Like, I'm supposed to take him to the hospital.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

I'm going to interrupt you for a second. Why on earth the night before when you said that, I cannot believe I don't have my own car. Did you end up going to the game with this guy?

[Leah]

I know.

[Host Burt]

You could have got a Ride home with the lunatic in the cul de sac.

[Leah]

I know she knows where he lives. So he leans forward and he starts, like, packing our stuff up, like, we're gonna go. And she says, you cannot leave me here. I don't know where I am, and I won't know how to get home. And he kind of slouched back onto the bleachers like he was gonna stay. And. And that was just it.

[Host Co-Host]

What a mess.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

So what did you do?

[Leah]

How'd you get out of there? The friend I had gone to sat with, she had already stood up. And she just, like, took you off and took me.

[Host Co-Host]

Wow. So he gets zero. I mean, that's done, right? No more chances.

[Leah]

So the date never happened? Of course.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Okay.

[Leah]

I was not gonna go out with him after.

[Host Co-Host]

I'm shocked.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

She gave him Saturday. What a wimp. Yeah.

[Leah]

Wow. And you know, I gave him that chance. Like, you need to talk to her and you need to handle this.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Oh, well, you're better off because that's a huge red flag. Even if she wasn't in the situation. You got an idea of how he handles situations? Ye.

[Leah]

Right. Right. Wimpiness is not something I'm going to put up with. Like, I have done and been through too much. I don't need that.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Yeah.

[Host Burt]

I'm blown away about the drive. Her following him over to your house

[Leah]

and then camping out. Yeah. Now that crazy woman knows where I live.

[Host Burt]

Yeah.

[Host Co-Host]

That's no more. I'm so sorry that that's the first way you have to come out of this thing in 25 years.

[Leah]

Disappointing.

[Host Co-Host]

The good news is he set the bar so low for you that the next eight can't be that bad.

[Co-Host/Commentator]

Yeah, true.

[Host Co-Host]

All right, Leah, thanks for sharing with us. We appreciate it. Sorry it didn't work out that well.

[Host Burt]

Sucks.

[Leah]

All right, thank you, guys.

[Host Co-Host]

Bye. Bye.

[Leah]

What is a crazy woman?

[Host Co-Host]

There must still something's going on still between. Yes, he said and the ex wife. They must still be dabbling in something for her to be acting like that.

[Host Burt]

The Birch Show.