Progress Week 4

I couldn't do my progress report on Sunday as I was away for the weekend in the land that broadband forgot.
In any case I have nothing new to report.

I started internet dating about 3 years ago. A few friends had already dipped their toes into the murky dating waters and two people I knew met partners within weeks of signing up which was what prompted me to do it in the first place.

I was incredibly nervous about it and convinced that I would be recognised within hours by everyone I've ever known or worked with.. For a week or two I felt like hiding my face on the tube in case any of the other passengers were also registered on the same site and would know me from my photograph.

Within a relatively short time I was corresponding with a few people but felt terrified about meeting anyone in the real world. One of the correspondents was called Louis.

For several weeks Louis and I sent each other messages, initially on the site and then via email. He seemed interesting enough although I was slightly put off by the fact that he was a nurse. (Internet dating is great for making you face up to your irrational prejudices.)

A week or two passed and we agreed to meet. At this stage I decided we needed to exchange telephone numbers. I sent Louis the number for my land line and explained that if a a man answered the phone it was a friend who was staying with me. I don't know why I didn't give him my mobile number.

The following day I got a reply.

I do not understand this. Why would a man answer your mobile phone? Is there something you have not told me? Please explain this at once.

I didn't reply and I never heard from Louis again. It knocked my confidence though because it seemed to demonstrate that the men using these sites are very strange indeed. How could someone not recognise a London land line number?