Sued for chocolates and flowers?!!!

I read an unbelievable story at the weekend in a magazine about a guy who had been dumped by his girlfriend, and had sued her - AND WON - for £6000 that he claimed he had spent on her during their relationship.

They didn't live together or have any children, they were just boyfriend and girlfriend. He got clingy, she backed off, they ended up finishing and she met someone else and was happy. He started emailing her saying how he'd done this and that for her and bought her this and that, and how he thought she should pay him back.

To get rid of him she casually emailed back "yes ok sure" - big mistake. This guy was a partner in a law firm and used her reply as evidence of an agreement to repay all costs - AND HE WON HIS CASE!!

The girl had to pay £3000 legal fees plus £6000 back to this guy, who obviously couldn't deal with being dumped, so used this a BIG revenge.

I was talking with my mate at the weekend and we both agreed that dating as a whole is shifting and changing SO much that soon you will need a written contract just to meet a guy for a drink in a bar!

"Hi how are you"

"Great thanks, good to meet you again"

"Here, I bought you some flowers"

"Oh I can't accept them just in case you sue me for the cost should I choose not to see you anymore. Can you just sign this contract that we will go 50/50 on all drinks costs tonight??"

AHH ROMANCE!

My friend goes on a lot of internet dating sites and more and more she sees men who, in their profiles of "who do you want to meet", they are asking to meet ONLY financially independent women with their own property/car, who will be willing to split all date costs down the middle". She's talked about men who have been fleeced so many times by different women who date them for a few weeks, extract free posh meals, clothes and gifts from them, then walk off and leave them when the next cash cow comes along.

It's no wonder that more people are choosing to live alone, fewer people are getting married, fewer marriages are lasting, and more and more people are choosing to be independent, and just have a few flings here and there to satisfy their needs. It seems safer!! If you can be sued for just allowing a man to buy you a gift then what hope is there??? You can lose your house if you split with a partner, you can lose half your income to them - I mean is it worth it any more?