My Date Insisted on Paying the Bill – I Wish I Hadn’t Let Him

When my friend Mia set me up with Eric, I was skeptical but hopeful, especially after seeing his charming photo. At our first date at an Italian restaurant, Eric impressed me with roses, a personalized keychain, and gentlemanly gestures like paying for dinner. The conversation flowed effortlessly, and I thought it was one of my best dates ever. But the next morning, my excitement turned to shock when Eric sent me an invoice. It listed “services” like the roses (cost: one hug), the keychain (a coffee date), and paying for dinner (a second date). Failure to “pay” with

affection would be reported to Chris, Mia’s boyfriend. Stunned, I shared it with Mia, who showed Chris. He was appalled and crafted a sarcastic counter-invoice, charging Eric for introducing him to me and threatening public humiliation. Eric’s angry texts followed, but I blocked him after a thumbs-up emoji. Mia apologized, but we all laughed it off, knowing this bizarre story would entertain for years. I kept the keychain as a quirky memento of my weirdest date ever, with a new rule: beware of guys who insist on paying—they might send a bill.