A friend set me up with a man she called thoughtful, successful, and old-fashioned. He arrived with beautiful real roses, opened every door, pulled out my chair, and kept the conversation engaging and charming throughout dinner. When the check came, I reached for my wallet but he insisted a gentleman always pays on the first date. I left the restaurant feeling it had been one of the most enjoyable evenings I had experienced in a long time.

The next morning I woke up to a payment request on my phone. He had sent a detailed itemized invoice charging me for half the dinner, the flowers, parking fees, and even the gas he claimed to have used driving there. A message explained he had only paid publicly because splitting the bill in front of the server would make him appear cheap. He followed up reminding me I had enjoyed the evening and therefore owed my fair share of the expenses.