When my best friend Mia insisted on setting me up with her boyfriend’s friend, I hesitated. Blind dates weren’t really my thing. But Mia promised he was polite, thoughtful, and dependable. His name was Eric. From our first messages, Eric seemed genuinely interested. He wrote in full sentences, asked thoughtful questions, and didn’t act pushy. After a week of chatting, he suggested dinner at a well-known Italian restaurant downtown.
The night started well. Eric arrived early with a bouquet of roses and a crisp button-down shirt. He pulled out my chair, complimented my dress, and even gave me a small keychain engraved with my initial. Conversation flowed easily over dinner—travel, work, and funny past dating experiences. When the bill arrived, he waved me off. “A man pays on the first date,” he said. Old-fashioned, but harmless. He even walked me to my car and waited until I drove off.