Somebody Else?

[anaxcrosswords]

No idea why this occurred to me, other than thinking about relationship clichés. I'm guessing this is one for the ladies because you tend to know these things!
A couple splits up – she does the splitting. Some time later, at her instigation, they meet up for a day out. As far as he's concerned it's just for old times' sake and there is no suggestion of anything more. Then she asks the question “Have you found anyone else?”
Yes, it is a cliché (it's happened to me at least a couple of times) and it's always been a puzzle. Isn't it just an invitation to the potential hurt of “Yes, and she's fantastic”?
You could understand the question coming from the person who was dumped, but why from the other?

[Cloverjo]

Ego. She wants the man to say "Of course not, I'm not over you yet." Or similar.
Best for him to say "There's a woman I've seen a couple of times. She's quite nice."

[Canary42]

Because she's still concerned about him - splits aren't always acrimonious or followed by ill-will.

[Bathsheba]

Simple to me....the dumper wants to get back with the dumpee ;)

Baths
x x x

[Canary42]

Could well be the case Baths.

[Psybbo]

As her new interest didn't work out, Baths

[pixie374]

Could be any reason... Ask her x

[anaxcrosswords]

There's no-one to ask Pixie - just hypothetical.

[Bathsheba]

Ah, but we don't know if a 3rd party is involved ;) Is there, anax?

x x

[anaxcrosswords]

For the sake of argument, let's imagine 'no'.

[pixie374]

Ah ok. Still no telling though. Nosiness... she wishes him well... she wants to gloat... make him think he made a mistake... she loves him... she hates him... she wants to get back with him... she doesn't give a monkey's, but has heard gossip/ her mates are asking her.... Take your pick! :-)

[anaxcrosswords]

There was a Twitter trend a week or so back – basically asking for examples of things people say but never mean. Someone had already offered “Hope we can still be friends”, and in any case this thing I thought of wasn't really in that category.

[B00]

I know you said it was all hypothetical ,but if this was a real situation why would they be having a day out together once they'd split up?

[anaxcrosswords]

Just painting a scenario, B00, a reason why she would have the opportunity to ask. It could easily be a phone call – inventing the day out (as her idea) has put a particular angle on it, I know.

[anaxcrosswords]

To add – I used that scenario because it matches the last time it happened to me (what feels like half a lifetime ago).

[Sycamore3House]

the dumpee asks because they have made a mistake, they do not like to see the other person getting on with life, they still want to feel important in the dumped persons life.