When Eric insisted on paying for our first date, I thought I’d met a real gentleman. Roses, a small gift, charming conversation — he seemed perfect. My friend Mia had set us up, swearing he was “a total gentleman.” Her boyfriend, Chris, vouched for him too, so I agreed.

Eric showed up with a beautiful bouquet and a silver keychain engraved with my initial — thoughtful and impressive. Dinner went smoothly; he was confident, funny, and polite. When the bill came, he refused to let me pay. “A man pays on the first date,” he said firmly. I didn’t argue.

The next morning, I expected a sweet text — instead, I got an invoice. Titled “Date Night Invoice – One Outstanding Balance,” it listed ridiculous “charges”:

• Rose Bouquet: One hug

• Gift: One coffee date

• Dinner: A second date, no excuses

At the bottom: “Payment expected in full. Failure to comply may result in Chris hearing about it.”

I sent it to Mia immediately. She and Chris were horrified — and amused. Chris made a fake invoice in return:

Service Invoice – Amount Due: A Lifetime of Silence

• Introducing You to a Gorgeous Woman: Permanent block

• Convincing Her You Were a Gentleman: Reflection on why you’re single

• Not Exposing You Online: A generous gift

“Payment due immediately,” it ended.

When Eric got it, he flipped out: “Wow, really mature. You just lost a great guy.” I replied with a thumbs-up and blocked him.

Mia apologized later, laughing through it. I told her not to worry — at least we got a great story out of it.

Lesson learned: if a guy insists on paying, make sure he doesn’t send you a bill afterward.