Mia convinced the narrator to go on a blind date with her boyfriend’s friend, Eric, despite her skepticism. Eric was everything she’d been promised — punctual, courteous, and thoughtful. He brought roses, opened doors, and even gifted her a small engraved keychain. Dinner was pleasant, and the narrator began to think maybe there were still good men out there.
That hope shattered the next morning when Eric sent an email itemizing the date’s costs: a request for repayment in hugs, another date for the keychain, and even a demand for “emotional labor.” The email ended with a threat: “Failure to comply may result in Chris hearing about it.”
The narrator forwarded the email to Mia, who was horrified and told her to block him. Mia then told her boyfriend Chris, who retaliated with a mock invoice from “Karma & Co.” charging Eric for emotional disturbance and forcing a woman to sit across from someone “wildly out of her league.” Eric reacted angrily, accusing them of not understanding his “symbolic” gesture. The narrator simply responded with a thumbs-up emoji and blocked him everywhere.
The experience became her ultimate example of a disastrous date—absurd yet revealing. She reflected that true kindness comes without strings attached, and self-respect should never be “refunded.”