When Eric was determined to cover the bill on our first date, I thought I’d met a real gentleman. Roses, a thoughtful gift, charming conversation—he seemed to check all the boxes. But the next day, his message made my stomach drop.
My best friend Mia set me up with Eric, though her matchmaking skills were unproven. She assured me he was a total gentleman, especially since her boyfriend Chris vouched for him.
The photo he sent showed a clean-cut guy with a warm smile, so I agreed to meet him for dinner at a new Italian restaurant.
He showed up early, confident, holding a beautiful bouquet of roses—not cheap store-bought, but professionally arranged. Then, he surprised me with a small gift box containing a silver keychain engraved with my initial. I was impressed.
Throughout the evening, Eric was the perfect gentleman: opening doors, pulling out my chair, asking thoughtful questions, and listening closely. We bonded over shared interests and funny stories, and I thought it might be the best first date I’d ever had.
When the check arrived, I reached for my purse, but Eric firmly said, “A man pays on the first date.” I agreed, happy to let him treat me.
But the next morning, instead of a sweet message, Eric sent me a detailed invoice.
It itemized everything he “provided”: a hug for the roses, a coffee date promised for the keychain, a selfie for opening the car door, and even a second date for covering the dinner and tip.
At the bottom, it said payment was expected in full—no refunds—and threatened to send it to collections if I didn’t pay. Chris couldn’t believe it either and decided to get revenge by sending Eric a fake invoice of his own, listing ridiculous “charges” like “introducing Kelly to a gorgeous woman” and demanding “a lifetime of silence” as payment.
Eric was furious, sending angry texts, but I just blocked him.
Mia and I still laugh about it, and I learned a valuable lesson: if a guy insists on paying, make sure he’s not going to send you an invoice later.
Oh, and I kept the keychain — not because of Eric, but because it’s a hilarious keepsake from the strangest date I’ve ever had.