The Setup
When my best friend Mia insisted I meet her boyfriend’s friend, I hesitated.
Blind dates were awkward, but Mia swore, “He’s one of the good ones.”
First Impressions
Eric seemed perfect—thoughtful texts, questions about my hobbies,
and a dinner with roses and a keychain engraved with my initial.
“You look incredible,” he said. Conversation flowed easily, and I felt the date went well.
The Shock
The next morning, I got an email titled Invoice for Last Night,
listing dinner, drinks, flowers, and “Emotional Labor – $50” with a note:
“For maintaining engaging conversation.
” At the bottom: “Failure to comply may result in Chris hearing about it.”
Lesson Learned
Mia and Chris sent a mock invoice charging Eric for
“acting like a walking red flag.” I blocked him and realized,
“Real kindness doesn’t come with conditions, fine print, or follow-up invoices
.” That night taught me to spot entitlement behind polite smiles.