I’ve been on enough first dates to know that a polished start doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. Still, when my friend Mia urged me to meet a colleague of her boyfriend’s, I decided to give it a try. She sang his praises: polite, smart, dependable—the kind of “gentleman” that, in theory, makes modern dating feel hopeful again. Given her confidence, I said yes.
From the beginning, Eric checked the right boxes. He texted in full sentences, asked thoughtful questions, and suggested a reservation at a respected Italian place downtown. It sounded promising—a welcome change from the half-hearted, last-minute “you up?” culture. If you’re keeping score of dating red flags, there weren’t any yet. In fact, it felt like the beginning of a sweet story, not a cautionary tale about entitlement or a first date invoice.
