^^ Slight side note:
When I was online dating I used to do what so many of us do; set up a safety check with a friend. I used to be really slick about it; take a restroom break or quietly/subtle check and answer a text. Then I realized what a good marker it was to check if I wanted to actually be on this date at all. So at whatever time check in was supposed to be, I would pull out my phone and sayΒ βsorry, I just have to let my friend know Iβm goodβ. If someone was vaguely offended, I might stay depending on the convo we had after. If someone was SUPER offended, I saidΒ βthis is exactly why. Thanks for meeting me, Iβve got to go.βΒ This happened three times I can remember and the first time my voice was shaking so bad as I said it because, you know. You never know what their response is going to be and he was so aggressively angry I was ending the dateΒ βover thatβ.Β
The person I ended up with?Β βAh, yay-Iβm-not-murdered check. Good plan.β Then when my phone was buzzing later (because we ended up on a five hour date on a Monday night) he goesΒ βyou should probably let them know youβre still alive. Do you have to go?βΒ