When my brother suggested I go on a date with his friend Andy, I wasn’t exactly excited. Still, I decided to give it a chance. To my surprise, Andy exceeded every expectation — he was polite, attentive, and even showed up with flowers in hand. During dinner, he asked thoughtful questions, listened to my answers, and made me laugh. After so many disappointing dates in the past, I found myself wondering if this could finally be someone different, someone worth getting to know. By the time dessert arrived, I felt cautiously hopeful that maybe my brother had been right all along.
I’ve always had one personal rule: never accept a ride home on a first date. But when Andy insisted it was the “gentlemanly” thing to do, I hesitated before agreeing. To his credit, he drove me home safely, pulled up right in front of my door, and didn’t leave until I was inside. That small act of courtesy made me feel like he was genuinely thoughtful. I ended the night smiling, thinking this might be the start of something promising.
The illusion didn’t last long. The next morning, I woke up to a payment request on my phone from Andy himself. He had itemized the evening, charging me for gas, parking, and even what he called a “car cleaning fee.” The total came to just over $37. Shocked, I laughed at the audacity before sending him $50 with a short note: “Thirteen-dollar tip for opening my door.” Then I blocked his number and sent the screenshots to my brother, who was just as stunned as I was.
A week later, I stumbled across a TikTok where another woman shared nearly the same experience — down to the ridiculous invoice. It became clear that Andy had made a habit of turning his dates into business transactions. The online comments mocked him endlessly, which was oddly satisfying to watch. In the end, what could have been a disappointing experience turned into a funny story I now share with friends. If nothing else, it reminded me to trust my instincts — and stick to my rule about always arranging my own ride home.