I believe the Universal Dating Rule is that there is a probationary period (like with a new job). It varies slightly from person to person but what I'm lead to understand is that the first few dates (let's say, less than six) is the Acute Probationary Period. At this time either party can simply disappear (not return calls, text, emails) for any reason and none need be provided (unless you choose to). Is there any good way to be told that you're just not someone's cup of tea? I'm thinking no......not so much.
If you make it past the Acute Probationary Period you then enter into the Regular Probationary Period (let's say, three months). During this time it is required (and in good taste) to provide a reason for dismissal...documentation, while it could substantiate a case, is not needed and could actually lead to further discussion which is not always a good thing at this point.
A number of years back I dated Boeing Guy. We went out for oh....about 4-5 dates...we spoke often on the phone...things were looking good. During one of our phone calls he mentioned that he once went out with a woman for about two months and things were going really well and then POOF...she vanished. No returned calls...no explanation...never saw her again. It baffled him, but whatcha gonna do? Well, about a week after this story POOF...he vanished. No returned call...no explanation...never saw him again. I came to the conclusion that they were both abducted by the same strain of aliens and were now being subjected to various, unspeakable experiments, but hey! at least he knows what happened to her now.
I've been cut from the roster and sent back down to the minor leagues during Acute Probationary Period countless times...some were totally expected and actually appreciated...and some were surprising and have lead me to making up various stories to explain the disappearance: (the preceding alien abduction story), the disfiguring car accident and now hiding from the world story, the head trauma and subsequent amnesia story (without the part where Sandra Bullock makes up a story that she's your fiance), the witness protection story, and the got drunk and married in Vegas over the weekend story. I have a few more specific to the individual (and am constantly creating new ones on an as needed basis). In any case, the stories are simply to distract from what could otherwise be a bit of a self-esteem shrinker....although...as I've gotten older (and dated more...and more...and more...) I've learned to keep my perspective. In the same way that not every guy out there is the right guy for me specifically (even as much as he could be a fantastic, wonderful human being)...I can't be the right woman for every guy that I might be interested in. That's the big catch isn't it? Sometimes it's all a matter of millimeters and nanoseconds with a bit of serendipity.
word!
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