Whether rooted in truth or not, Tinder is notorious for being “the hook-up app'” People constantly say that guys (and probably girls) are only on there for sex. If that is all you’re after, then why would you pass up the opportunity?

Frequently, I skip profiles of men claiming to be “a sex god”, “the best night of your life” or conveniently named “Dom” with a suggestive photo that would give Christian Grey a run for his money. Yet on this occasion, I played the Tinder Game. I seized the opportunity and swiped right to Dom. It was a match. What did I receive?

A question: “Interested?”

A phone number.

I haven’t messaged him, mainly on account of there being no photo of his face.

Then there are the guys who give off the impression of sincerity but then don’t follow through for one reason or another.

I was messaging a guy for a week or so, he seemed very keen and we’d organised to meet at Brighton station on a Saturday evening. We were texting constantly,  but by 5pm on Saturday, I hadn’t heard from him that day. Unintentionally, I was 20 minutes late to arrive at the station – still no message. By 6:30pm, I texted him. By 7pm – still silence. I got back in a cab and headed home. On the way back, there was a flood of “sorry” messages and a rather far-fetched excuse. He suggested he come later that evening, so I resisted the urge to don my pyjamas and curl up on the sofa and went out with my housemate instead.

By 10pm I had drowned my embarrassment of being stood up and accepted that this was just one of those “Tinder things”. I awoke the next day with a foggy head and a text from Mr No-Show asking what I was up to that day. Giving him the benefit of the doubt (or being a naive idiot?), I said I was free in the afternoon.

Did he text back? No.

Did he show up? No.

Have I heard from him since? No.

Maybe something happened. Maybe he had no intention of meeting up and played a very convincing game. Maybe he had a girlfriend and just likes the attention. Maybe something I said put him off? I suppose that’s the risk of meeting someone online.

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash.