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“I knew you were just like the others.”
Blocked.
Just like that.
I assumed the strange experience was over.
It wasn’t.
Two days later, Sarah called again.
“You’ll never believe this.”
“What now?”
“I talked to my coworker.”
“The one who introduced you.”
“And?”
“He does this every time.”
“What?”
“Apparently he takes women to nice restaurants, insists on paying, then sends payment requests the next morning.”
I nearly dropped my coffee.
“Seriously?”
“Apparently he’s been doing it for years.”
“Why?”
“No one knows.”
“Some think he enjoys the argument.”
“Others think he hopes women will feel guilty enough to send money.”
The entire thing suddenly felt absurd.
A week passed.
Then another.
Life returned to normal.
One Saturday afternoon, I was shopping for groceries when someone called my name.
I turned around.
It was Daniel.
He looked surprised.
“So… how have you been?”
“As expected.”
Awkward.
He smiled nervously.
“I may have overreacted.”
“You think?”
“I’ve been doing some thinking.”
I waited.
“I’d like another chance.”
I almost laughed.
“You blocked me.”
“I know.”
“I was frustrated.”
“You sent me an invoice.”
“I know.”
“You tested me.”
“I know.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“I guess it sounds bad when you say it out loud.”
“It sounded bad in writing too.”
For a moment neither of us spoke.
Finally he sighed.
“My last girlfriend stayed with me for almost a year.”
“Then admitted she never loved me.”
“She just liked expensive dates.”
“I’m sorry that happened.”
“So I started testing people.”
I nodded.
“I understand why you became cautious.”
“But your test guaranteed failure.”
He looked confused.
“How?”
“Because honest people don’t secretly test each other.”
“They communicate.”
His expression changed.
For the first time, he actually seemed to hear what I was saying.
“I never thought about it like that.”
We talked for nearly twenty minutes.
Not romantically.
Just honestly.
Before leaving, he apologized.
A real apology.
No excuses.
No blame.
“I’ve probably ruined a lot of good first dates.”
“You probably have.”
He smiled.
“I guess I deserved that.”
Months later, Sarah invited me to a charity fundraiser.
I almost declined.
Then she mentioned someone she wanted me to meet.