Page 7 of Fling

Tara’s curiosity was piqued and she turned up the volume, eager to hear the full story.

‘Joe, the fact that this app even exists is an absolute disgrace to the country. When I first heard about it, I nearly fell off my chair and broke my neck. I practically had whiplash from pure shock, Joe. And then to discover that my husband Jim was on it behind my back?’ Mary ranted.

Tara couldn’t help but laugh at Mary’s tone. She wasn’t trying to be funny but she was so distraught that it became unintentionally hilarious.

‘Mary, I’m reading here that thousands of people have downloaded Fling since it was launched last Friday. Why do you think there is such a demand for an app like this?’ Joe said.

‘Well, Joe, that just shows that Ireland has gone to the dogs. In my day, we had a little thing called shame, but it seems people today are completely and utterly shameless! I may get down on my knees and do a nine-day novena for the soul of this country. To think my Jim would make a fool of me after forty years of marriage,’ Mary continued, barely breathing between sentences.

‘We have another caller on the phone who is eager to share his side of the story,’ Joe interrupted. ‘Jim, you’re now on The Line.’

Tara turned up the radio even further, eager to hear the situation explode. She could even make out the show echoing in adjacent cars stuck in traffic. It was clear that she wasn’t the only person dying to hear what happened next.

‘Mary Muldoon, this is your husband, Jim, hang up this phone right now!’ Jim demanded.

‘JIM!’ Mary screamed, recognizing her husband’s voice. ‘You should be the one to hang up. Haven’t you embarrassed me enough?’

‘You’re the one making a show of us by airing our dirty laundry on The Line! Half the country listens to this show!’ Jim snapped.

Tara was in shock at what she was hearing. She always enjoyed the show, but this was spectacular entertainment.

‘You should have thought of that before you downloaded Fling!’ Mary screeched.

‘Well, you never told me our wedding vows were also a vow of celibacy! I might as well be a priest! Maybe if we actually had sex, I wouldn’t have wanted to download Fling!’ Jim yelled back.

‘I’d sooner take my grave than touch a snake like you ever again Jim Muldoon! Well, you reap what you sow because I’m going to fling you out of the house right this second!’ Mary exclaimed, hanging up the phone.

On Jim’s line, Tara could hear a yelp of pain followed by a door slamming. It seemed Jim had been kicked out of the house just before his line went dead.

‘Mary? Jim? We seem to have lost Mary and Jim Muldoon there. Whose side are you on? Is cheating ever justified? Are people driven to cheat? Public opinion is very divided on this Fling app, so we now have the entrepreneur who created it on the line. Richard Mulligan, you’re very welcome to the show,’ Joe said.

‘Thank you for having me, Joe,’ Richard said. His voice was strikingly deep and Tara wondered what he looked like in real life.

‘So, Richard, everyone is talking about your app Fling, and I believe you’ve had a very successful launch, is that right?’

‘You’re very right, Joe. We actually just hit a quarter million downloads,’ Richard said confidently.

‘Two hundred and fifty thousand people? That is a remarkable chunk of married people in this country. But I’m sure you’re well aware that public opinion is quite divided on the matter,’ Joe said, playing devil’s advocate.

‘Yes, I heard Mary and Jim on before me. I know many will side with Mary and many will side with Jim, but when two people are unhappy, infidelity is inevitable,’ he said, sounding sure of himself.

‘But what would you say to people who claim that you’re destroying the sanctity of marriage by enabling cheating and perhaps even profiting from ending relationships?’ Joe asked.

‘Well, Joe, we did an anonymous survey last year and asked married people if they had the means to have an affair without the risk of getting caught. Ninety-two per cent of people said they fantasized about having an affair and eighty-six per cent said they would have one if they knew they could get away with it. It all goes back to supply and demand, Joe. And with a quarter million downloads, the demand is certainly there,’ Richard said, his voice portraying a calm, masculine certainty.

Tara was shocked by how high the percentages were, but she herself had occasionally wondered what it would be like to sleep with someone other than Colin. The statistic made her feel a little less guilty. Like she was normal.

‘When people have needs and desires that aren’t being met, you can’t blame them for wanting something more,’ Richard continued. ‘So many people feel trapped in their own lives and want to escape, even just for a little while. Within every human being there is an impulse to do something bad. Just to see if we can get away with it. And those who don’t bend . . . break.’

Richard certainly had Tara’s attention. That was exactly how she felt. It was as if he was speaking to her directly.

‘Fling has been described by some as Tinder for married people. Do you think that’s a fair comparison?’ Joe asked.

‘Not necessarily, because the user experience is very different. Fling is completely anonymous so it’s totally discreet. No face pictures, no real names, no personal emails, nothing that can be traced back to you. Our algorithm finds you suitable matches not based on looks but rather on what you’re looking for,’ Richard explained.

‘But how safe is it to meet someone online when you don’t know who they really are?’ Joe said, concerned.

‘A valid question, Joe. One of Fling’s rules is to never meet in a private place for the first time. If things move from the app to in-person, meeting in a public place like a restaurant is essential.’

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