I thought I’d met a true gentleman when Eric insisted on paying for our first date. He brought roses, a thoughtful gift, and was charming throughout the evening. But the next day, I received a message that left me in disbelief.
Mia, my best friend, had set me up with Eric, promising he was a great guy. “He’s a total gentleman,” she said. “You’ll love him.” I was hesitant but decided to give it a try, especially since her boyfriend, Chris, had also vouched for him.
The date started off perfectly. Eric arrived with a bouquet of roses and even gave me a personalized keychain. He was polite, attentive, and made me feel like the center of attention. We had a great conversation, and I thought, “This could actually go somewhere.”
When the bill arrived, I reached for my purse, but Eric stopped me. “Absolutely not,” he said firmly. “A man pays on the first date.” I was a little surprised by his tone but didn’t argue.
The next morning, I woke up to a notification from Eric. Instead of a sweet message, I found an attachment. It was an invoice. A detailed bill for our date, listing charges for the roses, the keychain, and even the conversation we had.
I was stunned. Was this a joke? I sent a screenshot to Mia, who was just as shocked. She showed it to Chris, who couldn’t stop laughing. “I’ve known Eric for years,” Chris said, “but I never thought he’d do something like this.”
Chris decided to get creative. He made his own invoice, charging Eric for subjecting me to such absurdity. It included items like “A lifetime of silence” and “A formal apology to all the women you’ve dated.” He sent it to Eric, who responded with angry messages, calling Chris a “terrible friend” and claiming I’d “missed out on a GREAT guy.”
I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I blocked Eric’s number and kept the keychain as a funny reminder of the most bizarre date of my life.
The whole experience taught me one thing: if a guy insists on paying, make sure he won’t send you a bill later.
