One handwritten sign, one Toronto street corner, and a whole lot of emotional baggage.
Holding up a bristle board sign reading “Tell us about your ex” in the heart of downtown, Now Toronto invited strangers to stop and vent about their past relationships for the latest edition of This is Dating Now. What followed was a spontaneous outpouring of stories– some messy, some painful, and many completely unbelievable!
There was a common thread running through most of the confessions: betrayal, infidelity, and ended friendships.
One Toronto resident, Jordan C. recounts when her ex-boyfriend slept with her now ex-best friend, and has been recently attempting to reconnect with her on social media.
“This man tried to come back last week (on) my Instagram. Bye! He got blocked,” she said. “Men in Toronto are crazy.”
Oscar I. had a similar story with his ex, who also ended up cheating on him with his best friend. He says he had been with his girlfriend for a whole year when it happened, and recalls taking almost the same amount of time to get over the relationship.
He is now looking forward to hop back into the dating scene, and says it’s hard to navigate a pool currently filled with one-night-stands and situationships.
“Some of these people don’t take it seriously, but there are some people out there who are genuine and actually want a relationship. So, I’m keeping my eye out for those people,” he said.
As for the estranged friend who betrayed him, Oscar only had one thing to say:
“F**k that guy,” he shrugged.
Another participant, Julianna R., says her ex from about one year ago not only cheated on her multiple times, but later chased her down when she refused his post-breakup advances.
“When I broke up with him, he started stalking me. He went to my apartment, sent me flowers. I ended up telling him, ‘If another thing like that happens, I will call the police,’” she said.
She says since then, she has happily changed her address, number and any other details to avoid further contact with him, and is hopeful to find someone more compatible in the future.
Julianna tells Now Toronto that dating in the city can be hit-or-miss, describing it as “sometimes really good, sometimes crazy.”
Walter I. stopped by to reflect on a past relationship that lasted a year and a half in Vancouver, B.C. In a turn of events, he acknowledged his own personal faults that led to the end of the relationship, such as inappropriately texting other women.
Now living in Toronto and in a much better, healthier relationship, he says the city was a great place to grow and find the love of his life.
“Compared to what I experienced on the other side of the country, people seem to be more generous, more honest in Toronto… more serious,” Walter explained.
If Now Toronto learned anything from taking this conversation to the streets, it’s that everyone has a story, and people want to tell theirs.
So, Toronto, if you’re still hung up about your ex (or if you absolutely despise them), know this: you’re not the only one. You’re walking through a city full of people with stories like yours. Some are healing, some are still hurting, but all are trying to figure out what love looks like now.
Want to share your own ex-related story for a future edition of This is Dating Now? Email your dating chronicles to news@nowtoronto.com!
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