In 2018, Shorrya Tripathi, brand manager with a marketing agency, matched with a suitor on a dating app. Two days later, they were at Lower Parel's eatery, enjoying a meal. "He was new to Mumbai and here for a Masters degree. At dinner and drinks, we were taking it slow and chatting about the city, our work and families. It was flowing well," she recalls, admitting she was instantly taken in by his disarming personality and good looks. "At the cost of sounding stereotypical, he was tall, fair and bearded. He was also wearing a white tee and blue jeans, a combination that makes me go jelly kneed."

When it was time to call it a night, Tripathi wondered whether they'd meet again, or if he might ask her to come over. When she requested the steward to get the bill, her date politely excused himself to visit the washroom. Thirty minutes later, there was still no sign of him. "It got terribly awkward because it was a busy night at the restaurant and guests around had seen us together. I also started to get worried if he was okay, so I asked the restaurant staffer to go check. He returned to say there was no one in the men's loo." Tripathi realised she had been ghosted.