When Eric showed up to our first date with a bouquet and a small personalized gift, I thought he was one of the most thoughtful men I’d ever met. He was charming, attentive, and insisted on paying the full bill at dinner. His confidence and generosity made the evening feel like something out of a romantic movie — until the next morning, when he sent me a professionally formatted invoice.
At first, I thought it was a joke. But the itemized list of “charges” — from a hug in exchange for the flowers to a second date as repayment for dinner — quickly made it clear he was serious. He even included a warning that failure to “pay” would result in “collections” via his friend Chris. Shocked, I forwarded the message to my best friend Mia, who had set us up, and to Chris, who was just as appalled.
To lighten the mood, Chris created a satirical invoice in return, charging Eric for “wasting a great woman’s time” and “getting blocked on all platforms.” It was the perfect response to such an absurd move. Unsurprisingly, Eric didn’t take it well, firing off defensive messages before I blocked him for good.
Though the date had started with promise, it ended with one of the most bizarre experiences I’ve had. I didn’t let it ruin my sense of humor — in fact, I kept the keychain he gave me as a reminder of the wild story I’ll now be telling for years. The lesson? Sometimes the biggest red flag is wrapped in roses and ribbon.