Day 15 of #100IndianTinderTales

When I started this project, I barely had 4 stories and few friends who Tindered who promised to contribute. I wasn’t sure how I would generate 100 stories given in the past I have uninstalled Tinder in less than 24 hours, sighing, “These creepy Indian men!”

But this time I decided to stay, not be offended, engage, make screenshots of everything, date, get stories and have some fun. And suddennly the stories started pouring in from absolute strangers.

I met one Indian pilot off Tinder who was great fun, flirty, very chatty and a complete Dravidian masterpiece. Thanks to how well he took a ‘no’, I was ready to meet other folks off Tinder.

Next was a Polish-Indian traveller. We were to meet last Sunday. I was really interested in getting him to write a story. Plus, he was funny and hadn’t said – ‘Are you looking for fun?’ and could laugh at my ‘white man’s burden jokes’ unlike most European travellers.

When I first told him about the #100IndianTinderTales project. His reaction:

“Oh you are here for research?”

“No, I am interested in people’s stories and how we connect. I am here to meet fun folks whom I may not meet otherwise. I am open to possibilities without naming them. Plus, this is an art project”

“Good. Would be disappointing if you were doing this just for research and if Tinder was sponsoring you.”

“Ha ha ha. Wish it was! Imagine getting paid to Tinder, that would be a dream job.”

So after a week of some chatting which was mostly about travel, food, people, ex communist country Poland, India, Air BnB in Mumbai, Andheri East, we decided to meet for ‘lemonade’.

I was meeting friends during the day and had slotted him for an evening date. But in the afternoon he texted to say:

“Hey Indu, crisis situation, I don’t want to bore you with details but the laundry has stuffed up my wash, I now have zero clean clothes and they all will have to be redone. Would you be mad if we meet during the week instead?”

I was mad. I was really looking forward to his story. Not just Tinder stories but others too and didn’t mind going to Andheri East to meet him.

“Wtf. That’s such a lame excuse!”

“I can’t come out in my underwear.”

“Dramebaaz!”

“Google says – talent show?”

(To make up, he wrote about his Tinder experience and sent it to me. In return, I showed him this pic.

He: How come you are wearing my top? Obviously date went well.)

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