What are you doing this weekend?

"What are you doing this weekend?"

Seems like a harmless question, right? I ask just about anyone this question, especially if we're chatting on a Friday.

A few weeks back I met a nice guy on Match. We struck up a conversation, and agreed to meet for dinner that Friday. I thought it went OK, but I wasn't convinced he was interested. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard from him the next day.

We continued talking all week, and the following Friday he texted me to say good morning, and that he was

I suppose that's one possibility.

sorry he hadn't texted the night before. He had gotten busy, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I didn't actually expect (or need) the explanation, but him giving it to me was, I thought, a sign he wanted to keep chatting. Plus, we were basically in the middle of a conversation (as much as you can be over text, anyway), so I was encouraged. It was a Friday morning, so I asked,

"What are you doing this weekend?"

I suppose it could have sounded like I was leading up to asking him out, or hinting that I wanted to ask him. Actually, neither was true, though I might have accepted an invite if one had been extended.

Turned out it wouldn't matter. This was about three weeks ago - and I haven't heard from him since.

I can understand not wanting to go out again. I can even understand (sort of) continuing to chat in case you weren't sure. I can absolutely understand not being sure what to say if you're not sure and you think you've been backed into a corner.

What's a little confusing is why a grown man would just disappear rather than just finishing a conversation - especially one he started.