When Eric insisted on paying for our first date, I thought I had met a true gentleman, especially with the bouquet of roses and thoughtful gift he presented. The evening went smoothly, with great conversation and polite gestures, but things took an unexpected turn the next morning when he sent me an invoice listing charges for everything he’d done—flowers, gifts, and even opening the car door.

It was a ridiculous attempt at making our date seem like a transaction, complete with a threat to send the “balance” to collections if I didn’t comply. Shocked, I shared it with Mia, who quickly forwarded it to her boyfriend Chris. In retaliation, Chris sent Eric his own invoice, mocking his over-the-top behavior, and soon Eric was bombarding me with angry texts. That was the last time I heard from him, but I kept the keychain he gave me as a memento of the strangest date I’d ever had.