The thing I like about Hinge is that you can use the app to travel without having to pay.
I will dip into cities that I am traveling to and see if I can meet any locals. I have done this in Dubai, Nashville, Tulum…everywhere.
This time I decided to set my location for Toronto because I was heading back there to work at a tattoo shop for a month. I set it to a rich neighbourhood and started talking to a 55 year old man who works in the stock market in Toronto. Average Toronto Trader Joe. I said I will be visiting Toronto from Portugal in two weeks but maybe we can chat on the phone and see if there is a vibe. We set up a video chat. He’s cute.
We hit it off.
Ten days go by of texting.
During this time he had to go to Montreal to see his parents because his dad wasn’t doing well. Average Toronto Trader Joe and I had a phone call while he was on the train to Montreal and a call on the way back. He’s delightful. I am ready to make a plan to see him when I go to Toronto.
It’s my last week in Portugal before traveling and I am sitting on the beach with my friends. I get a WhatsApp notification on my phone saying I have been added to a group entitled ‘Next’. It’s too sunny out to see the screen so I leave it alone. I check it on the bus ride home. I see that Average Toronto Trader Joe adds me to a group of ten other women, but at some point removes himself from the group. Sus.
I sent him a message asking what this group is all about.
He writes: Oh sorry about that, can you please remove yourself from the group? I made a group to let my friends know the next step in my dad’s recovery. My mom said it wasn’t a good idea and I should remove the group. So if you could remove yourself from the group that would be great.
In my head: K. Red flag. So, you’re only friends with ten beautiful women from the ages of 35-40? You made a group and your, (I am guessing) 80 year old mother told you to delete a WhatsApp group? Does she even know what a WhatsApp is?
What I did: nothing.
WHICH I REGRET! I wish I had said something in the chat. I wish I had asked all those women how they were doing. I wish I asked them ‘what do you think this group is all about?’ I wish I had stirred the pot a little.
I did nothing. I never met up with him or talked to him after that. I don’t live in Toronto, so what is the point?