‘Boyfriend for rent’ prank gets serious enquiries

"Rent a Christian boyfriend for all family gatherings" for Christmas, John Brown* jokingly stated on a promotional flyer that he posted on his WhatsApp status Wednesday morning.

But after persons started sharing the flyer, which included his number on Instagram, many persons' interests were piqued.

"I made a post on my status about 8 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday). I started receiving calls and messages at about 9 p.m. It's funny because me never really expect persons to actually call. It was just a joke," Brown told THE WEEKEND STAR.

One person sent him a text message that read: "Good Night, I'd like to rent a Christian Boyfriend for Christmas, is there anymore available?" The flyer promised 50 per cent off all bookings before December 1.

"Package includes background story of how we met, matching outfits, offer to say prayer at dinner, tell a few jokes, a bottle of red, non-alcoholic wine and a firm handshake," it read.

When THE WEEKEND STAR contacted one of the women who reached out, she said she thought it was real.

Look somebody fi di Christmas

"So I texted the number and asked if the person is still available for bookings. Worse him did have a picture pon it and him nuh look too bad," she said laughing.

"COVID or not, if yuh single, yuh muss a look somebody fi di Christmas. If a even fi have a evening fi go out early and just have dinner. If it wasn't for COVID, many people like myself would've been dating and would be in relationships now. That's why I thought it was true," the woman, 25, said.

The woman said that she was not planning to "propose or do anything immediately" but noted, "Many people meet their soulmates on blind dates."

Another woman who sought to rent a Christian boyfriend said that she wants "somebody for the Christmas fi sport".

"Me nuh want nothing serious because me nuh wah nobody fi control me. Me wah somebody fi love me Christmas night too. Me tired fi single now," she said.

Meanwhile, Brown says he has been getting unwanted attention and now plans to change his phone number.

"Persons texting and asking what's the charge and if I'm available for Boxing Day and New Year's Eve. The first WhatsApp message, me did think a somebody out of my contacts did a prank me or something. So me did just laugh it off. Then I started getting a lot of messages and calls. Me just nuh answer most of them," he said.

*name changed