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Relationships

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Please help me process what on earth went on with me and DP last night

455 replies

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 09:45

It was my birthday yesterday. DP came over after work and my main present was dinner somewhere nice local to me (this is what I had asked for). I’d arranged to have an empty house at mine for us so we’d have some time to ourselves.

Been together almost 2 years and been arguing a lot over the last few months. My kids caused some trouble between us and we both said some things that hurt the other and are trying to get through it. Argued earlier in the week about that but I genuinely felt that we were working through it.

Anyway, I don’t normally dress up but I put on a nice dress and heels. I know I looked nice as my DD said so. Answered the door to DP and he was really angry with how I was dressed as apparently he had turned up ‘looking like a scruff’ and it made him look back.

So no compliment on the effort I made and a couple of times thought the night made angry comments about it.

Other than that all fine at dinner. We got home and Dp went to sit in the garden and have a beer. It was dark and cold and I didn’t fancy being out there so I sat indoors entertaining myself playing music on the Alexa - not loud - and singing along to it. DP hates me singing along to music but I just thought well he’s outside, not listening and it’s my house and my birthday so I’ll entertain myself.

We then watched a TV show for an hour, all good.

Then just the weirdest thing happened - DP started having a go at me for playing Billie Jean and how he’d had to comment that MJ is a paedophile to make me stop playing it.

I was baffled as I don’t like MJ either, hadn’t played Billie Jean and didn’t know what he was talking about.

When I responded to that he got really angry going ‘I know what I heard, stop gaslighting me!!’ And I was literally like maybe it was coming from one of the kid’s Alexa’s upstairs and he went on and on about how I was telling him he was imagining things.

i said I wasn’t saying that just that I hadn’t played it. I said I’d been playing the charlatans as the last song and pulled out my play history on Amazon music and indeed it was the charlatans and a load of other 90s indie which is exactly my taste as he knows.

i thought that would just solve it all but it escalated and escalated about how he heard Billie Jean and I’d stopped as soon as he made the comment.

I said I hadn’t played Billie Jean but also it’s my house and if I wanted to play it I would.

I then decided I’d had enough and thanked him for ruining my birthday and went to bed. I didn’t know what else to do to de escalate things.

i could then see him on the drive waiting for a cab so I went down again to try and de escalate things. I said I felt the conversation was unnecessary and unkind, that I had no idea where he heard Billie Jean - he said it must have been on the TV I said maybe it was but I have no recollection of it or of the comment he made.

I tried to get him to calm down and come in, I just wanted a nice end to the evening but he wouldn’t back down.

It was the most ridiculous argument of my life and I also believe it has ended our relationship because where do we go from this?

Usually when we argue I initiate apologies and we smooth things over but I have no idea how or why I would apologise for playing a song I didn’t play. I feel like last night he was wanting an apology and it’s usually very easy to get one out of me, but not for something like this where I’ve done nothing.

His car is still outside so presumably he’ll come and get it today but I’ve heard nothing from him and don’t expect to.

This MUST be the end of our relationship right? I can’t live like this.

OP posts:
Paddingtonsmarmaladesandwich2 · Yesterday 18:27

toottoot3 · Yesterday 09:57

He turned up dressed like a scruff for your birthday, he came ready to argue! You didn't give him a chance to argue, so he just went ahead with it anywho. Unless something bad has happened to him yesterday, and for some reason he hasn't told you about it...... He's out to let you know, your birthday isn't about you getting dressed up, taken out, fun times, it's about knowing your place, awkward, waiting for him to decide when you have fun. You can easily have years of this ahead of you if you just get over your own thoughts and feelings

this!

my first thought was he doesn’t want to be In The relationship anymore but is a coward so is acting out so you end it…he’s was getting angrier as his behaviour ceased to produce the desired result.

how self centred is that on turning up…his response should have been along the lines of “oh sorry darling, I look a mess, sorry to let you down on your birthday, but hey you look a million dollars”

Randallscandal · Yesterday 18:25

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 18:22

I haven’t told her she’s at her Dad’s

Message her!

I reckon the relationship between you two will exponentially improve now she’s not sharing her space with this vile ex boyf

Holdinguphalfthesky · Yesterday 18:25

Ohnobackagain · Yesterday 18:20

Do you know what @everynowandthenifallapart? I used to wonder how men’s minds worked and what I could do to make things work better. But now I don’t. And neither do you need to. He ‘did that’ because he was a rude, controlling arsehole. Don’t waste any more time on self-help so you can adjust to a bloke - you looked fab on your birthday and all he had to say was ‘wow you look great’ and he couldn’t even do that. Twat.

It’s not really a self help book. It’s an antidote to the pretzels we tangle ourselves into trying to explain why these men behave the way they do, and it’s a real step on the road to being cured of recurring knobheads. I speak from experience!

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 18:22

Randallscandal · Yesterday 18:21

What did your 16 year old say when she heard the good news?

I haven’t told her she’s at her Dad’s

OP posts:
pictoosh · Yesterday 18:21

Controlling people often ruin happy or special occasions...they struggle with sharing the limelight and others enjoying themselves without their input. Causing shit puts the onus back where they are comfortable with it being...on them.

Randallscandal · Yesterday 18:21

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 18:19

He earns way more than me.

My house is bigger, more expensive and has way more equity in it.

I’ve always really fancied him but he’s been told by most people who meet me that he’s punching.

What did your 16 year old say when she heard the good news?

Ohnobackagain · Yesterday 18:20

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 17:40

That’s my evening plans sorted!!

Do you know what @everynowandthenifallapart? I used to wonder how men’s minds worked and what I could do to make things work better. But now I don’t. And neither do you need to. He ‘did that’ because he was a rude, controlling arsehole. Don’t waste any more time on self-help so you can adjust to a bloke - you looked fab on your birthday and all he had to say was ‘wow you look great’ and he couldn’t even do that. Twat.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · Yesterday 18:19

He had no place in complaining about your music, but he really lost any sympathy with me when you said he didn't 'let' you sing to music. Who the hell died and made him Simon Cowell?

Any man who won't 'let' you do something that's perfectly normal isn't worth giving the time of day. I'm glad the controlling bugger is out of your life.

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 18:19

TFImBackIn · Yesterday 18:17

What a knob he is. Thank god he's gone.

Just thinking - you're clearly much more attractive than he is, which is why he wants you to feel shit. What about your home? Is it nicer than his? Does he rent when you own your own house? What about your job and his? Are they comparable? He's desperate to bring you down, isn't he?

He earns way more than me.

My house is bigger, more expensive and has way more equity in it.

I’ve always really fancied him but he’s been told by most people who meet me that he’s punching.

OP posts:
pictoosh · Yesterday 18:19

Did you say his ex said he was controlling? She was right wasn't she?

He's got his head so far up his own arse he can't see daylight and what's more, he likes it in there. He'll never leave.

TFImBackIn · Yesterday 18:17

What a knob he is. Thank god he's gone.

Just thinking - you're clearly much more attractive than he is, which is why he wants you to feel shit. What about your home? Is it nicer than his? Does he rent when you own your own house? What about your job and his? Are they comparable? He's desperate to bring you down, isn't he?

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 18:16

I’ve just looked back in my Amazon music history again and the first song I played before I went full 90s indie was Chappell Roan good luck babe which does have an identical opening to Billie Jean.

I can now kind of see how if he’d grumbled on his way to the toilet about it being Michael Jackson then came back in and thought it changed to something else he might have thought he was right about whatever he was taking issue with.

That’s complete side note to his behaviour but does perhaps explain what he thought he’d heard.

Well cheers to Chappel Roan for bringing it all to a head 🍷

OP posts:
Ladyb50 · Yesterday 18:16

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 09:45

It was my birthday yesterday. DP came over after work and my main present was dinner somewhere nice local to me (this is what I had asked for). I’d arranged to have an empty house at mine for us so we’d have some time to ourselves.

Been together almost 2 years and been arguing a lot over the last few months. My kids caused some trouble between us and we both said some things that hurt the other and are trying to get through it. Argued earlier in the week about that but I genuinely felt that we were working through it.

Anyway, I don’t normally dress up but I put on a nice dress and heels. I know I looked nice as my DD said so. Answered the door to DP and he was really angry with how I was dressed as apparently he had turned up ‘looking like a scruff’ and it made him look back.

So no compliment on the effort I made and a couple of times thought the night made angry comments about it.

Other than that all fine at dinner. We got home and Dp went to sit in the garden and have a beer. It was dark and cold and I didn’t fancy being out there so I sat indoors entertaining myself playing music on the Alexa - not loud - and singing along to it. DP hates me singing along to music but I just thought well he’s outside, not listening and it’s my house and my birthday so I’ll entertain myself.

We then watched a TV show for an hour, all good.

Then just the weirdest thing happened - DP started having a go at me for playing Billie Jean and how he’d had to comment that MJ is a paedophile to make me stop playing it.

I was baffled as I don’t like MJ either, hadn’t played Billie Jean and didn’t know what he was talking about.

When I responded to that he got really angry going ‘I know what I heard, stop gaslighting me!!’ And I was literally like maybe it was coming from one of the kid’s Alexa’s upstairs and he went on and on about how I was telling him he was imagining things.

i said I wasn’t saying that just that I hadn’t played it. I said I’d been playing the charlatans as the last song and pulled out my play history on Amazon music and indeed it was the charlatans and a load of other 90s indie which is exactly my taste as he knows.

i thought that would just solve it all but it escalated and escalated about how he heard Billie Jean and I’d stopped as soon as he made the comment.

I said I hadn’t played Billie Jean but also it’s my house and if I wanted to play it I would.

I then decided I’d had enough and thanked him for ruining my birthday and went to bed. I didn’t know what else to do to de escalate things.

i could then see him on the drive waiting for a cab so I went down again to try and de escalate things. I said I felt the conversation was unnecessary and unkind, that I had no idea where he heard Billie Jean - he said it must have been on the TV I said maybe it was but I have no recollection of it or of the comment he made.

I tried to get him to calm down and come in, I just wanted a nice end to the evening but he wouldn’t back down.

It was the most ridiculous argument of my life and I also believe it has ended our relationship because where do we go from this?

Usually when we argue I initiate apologies and we smooth things over but I have no idea how or why I would apologise for playing a song I didn’t play. I feel like last night he was wanting an apology and it’s usually very easy to get one out of me, but not for something like this where I’ve done nothing.

His car is still outside so presumably he’ll come and get it today but I’ve heard nothing from him and don’t expect to.

This MUST be the end of our relationship right? I can’t live like this.

I think he wants out of the relationship but wants you to end it. You deserve so much better!

pictoosh · Yesterday 18:15

I think your instincts and interpretation of his behaviour are absolutely correct. I'm so glad you've decided to end it with him. It was only going to get worse.

Controlling men don't think they're controlling, they think they're right and any disagreement is simply an indication of how difficult and stupid you are.
You can't do anything to fix it...there's no magic set of words that will make him see the light. Might as well tell it to the cat.

EtsyKetsy · Yesterday 18:14

there is a type of man who wants to end a relationship but doesn’t have the balls to do so directly. So they engineer fights and generally make themselves so unpleasant that it forces the other party to take the initiative and end the relationship themselves.

i think that you have one of those situations here. If he wants to end things so badly that he behaves like this then I should give him what he obviously wants.

Ohnobackagain · Yesterday 18:12

@everynowandthenifallapart not sure what happened but I had missed a whole chunk of your posts in the middle when I first commented, you did the right thing ending it and letting him arrange to collect stuff. I hope you’re ok.

supersop60 · Yesterday 18:08

You’ve done the right thing for your peace of mind, OP.

Give yourself time to process everything, but honestly, don’t bother trying to get answers from him, he will never admit to his own behaviour or admit to any wrongdoing. He is a dick snd you deserve better.
Onwards and upwards!

FloydPink · Yesterday 18:07

Sorry, only read first page before above reply - sounds like an arse, glad you are rid, but dont let that put you off - lots of nice normal blokes out there!

Ohnobackagain · Yesterday 18:06

@everynowandthenifallapart you didn’t need to try and get him to come back in. He should have been the one to apologise!

I’d go out and avoid seeing him collect the car if you can’t being yourself to end it - he should have been in touch to apologise for ruining your birthday! Wouldn’t want to carry in with him.

FloydPink · Yesterday 18:04

Am normally one to let an argument go - they happen, just get over it between you. In this case though it seems to be one thing after another.

Look, we all say stupid things, get angry and get the wrong end but for this to happen like this on a birthday....

I would probably give one more chance, something like "what the hell was yesterday about". Maybe it was a bit unlike him, may he had an awful day at work or had some bad news (not an excuse but may explain things). But unless he gives good reason, apology AND how this wont happen again, I would walk!

1983Louise · Yesterday 17:54

It's not your fault he dresses like a tramp, has problems with his hearing and hates MJ, just do yourself a favour and dump him x

XYZroundabouts · Yesterday 17:46

Happy birthday !

You have given yourself the best present ever

No more DP

Randallscandal · Yesterday 17:42

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 17:40

That’s my evening plans sorted!!

How about celebrating with your kids? Takeaway. They will all be breathing a massive sigh of relief they aren’t subjected to him anymore in their home,

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 17:40

That’s my evening plans sorted!!

Please help me process what on earth went on with me and DP last night
OP posts:
WillieBanjo · Yesterday 17:36

His behavior is very "Bad"