WOULD LIKE TO MEET...

Closer’s dating expert, Rebecca Twomey, look sat the multiple miscommnunications during the courtship stage and how being brave can change things for the better

How regularly do you message someone after you’ve arranged a date? Once you’ve set the day and time, what is left to say? As I’ve now discovered, quite a lot.

The usual scenario had played out with one guy. We met on an app, messaged, had a great video date (he had me in stitches) and we agreed to meet a week later and attempt to keep a social distance.

He instigated two conversations on WhatsApp before the date, which I replied to, and I thought I’d done some flirting. Saturday – the day of our arranged date – came and went without a word from him.

I spent the weekend licking my wounds once again (lockdown has made me more vulnerable), then on Sunday evening he got in touch. Before you want to call him out as a player, wait a minute.

I explained that I’d had a fun weekend, despite one

significant plan falling through, to which he said I wasn’t the first person to ‘disappear’. I couldn’t handle more miscommunication, so I called him to laugh at the situation. I said I didn’t appreciate being judged by the actions of other women he’s dated and it’s not my style to go back on plans I’ve made. He made a fair point, though – we had both assumed we were being rejected and it was down to both of us to confirm the date.

As I’ve said before, everyone anticipates rejection in dating so much that we end up selfsabotaging. It was a good opportunity for him to say that he’s quite organised and likes to set a time and place in advance and for me to explain that I prefer faceto-face interaction.

So, these two singles, scarred by countless rejections, are braving it all again and meeting up for a first date – prearranged meeting point (for him) and no pointless WhatsApp exchanges in between (for me). Keep your fingers crossed!