A bad date in Metro Vancouver is getting a lot of attention online after a stranger offered to fill the man’s spot after he no-showed — aka ghosted — leaving the woman alone at the restaurant.
“Posting as anonymous.. had dinner plans .. sitting waiting for him at the restaurant ..
He never showed up 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩” one woman wrote in the Facebook group “Are we dating the same guy” on Thursday night.
Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock
The post was shared along with a photo of the man in an effort to warn others about the behaviour, and almost instantly, the commenters were quick to offer support. But one woman went above and beyond.
“[That’s] awful. Where are you? I’ll meet you for dinner,” Meghan M. asked.
Little did she know that that simple question would blow up, with hundreds of likes, many expressing their thanks that someone would do something like that, and others quickly following suit with their own offers of support.
In an interview with Daily Hive, the North Vancouver woman says it felt like the right thing to do and knows firsthand how challenging dating in this area is.
Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock
“It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there again. Online dating is almost a full-time job in itself. You filter through a plethora of profiles and judge people based on a few photos, if you match with them you might not even end up messaging… If you end up messaging, it might not even result in an actual date,” Meghan said about the stressful scene.
She told Daily Hive on Friday that the anonymous poster has not yet taken her up on her offer, but she is still ready to hop on her motorcycle and meet her for lunch if she gets back to her.
“I could imagine this gal sitting in a restaurant alone, feeling vulnerable and anxious. The server checks in multiple times, asking if she wants to order a drink while she waits for the guy to show up. She texts him several times with no answer. She wonders if he’s ok. How long does she wait before leaving or does she stay and enjoy a solo meal, still wondering why he hasn’t shown up,” she explained.
When asked if she’d offer again in the future, she said she would absolutely do it again.
“I think it’s really important for women to support each other. Kindness goes a long way. Compassion goes a long way. These little gestures can make a big difference,” she said.
Shutterstock/Studio Romantic
According to the group, this man has allegedly ghosted four other women. Daily Hive has chosen not to name him or show his photo for privacy reasons. But it goes beyond naming and shaming — as Meghan explains, the purpose of sharing experiences in the group is to find some commonality and support in navigating the single scene, which can feel very soul-destroying.
“I know the main purpose of that Facebook group is to post guys who have red flags. However, I have found that a lot of women, including myself, post situations where they need some emotional support or advice,” she said.
“For me, I’ve made a few anonymous posts where I just needed some girl power and support. The responses tend to be overwhelming in a good way. Some respond with tough love while others respond with advice and resources like podcasts and books, and others are very empathetic and validating,” she said.
What do you think of this offer? Have you been ghosted? Let us know in the comments below!