The Ick

[Ahostofgoldendaffodils]

Inspired by an article in today’s Observer, AIBU to think that you just can’t get over ‘The Ick’ even if the other person is practically perfect in every other possible way?
When I was 18, I started seeing a man in his 20s - he was like an alpha male on steroids- muscular, deep voice, powerful. This was the 90s and his double denim look reminded me of a young Bruce Springsteen. He really was gorgeous and I was smitten. But…. every time he got drunk, his voice would go high pitched, I mean, if we were in a nightclub and he was trying to tell me something he’d come close to my ear and suddenly turn into Joe Pasquale. This was THE ICK. This perfect man, gorgeous, masculine, respectful, confident made me cower in horror at his squeak.
He spoke normally 90% of the time and was a great man but I just couldn’t get over the drunken voice and the fact that the day after every night out my ear would throb in pain at his shrillness. So I dumped him. This could have been a beautiful relationship with lots of mini young Springsteens on the horizon with a lavish wedding. I just couldn’t get over it. Was IBU?
But what I really want to know about are your Icks?

Wore a grubby orange lanyard with his house keys on at all times. Even in his own home.

My "ick" is people using the term "The ick".

An enormous pair of tight white boxers than seemingly went from his knees to halfway up his torso.

an enormous pink jumper.

different guys and I was unsure about both but going with the flow until that point.

Always one.

Always! I’m in fits at the white boxers 🤣 RoyKent why the orange lanyard? 🤣🤣🤣

Cringing reminder of a guy I was seeing who wore M&S pants.

The cotton speedo type that you get in a pack of 7 in different styles of paisley or stars - more than likely they were purchased by a mum/Nan for Christmas!
(Like the ones my brother used to wear when he was 5!)

He was a great guy in every other way but I couldn't handle the pants he had to go!!

Me too! Only on Mumsnet do I see this word used. Constantly.

Yes, gorgeous in every way but short.

That's actually really funny - the one time I experienced the Ick was because of this high pitched voice the guy sometimes had. No idea why but I couldn't move past it. I assume this meant he wasn't right for me in general because it's not like my current long-term partner never does anything that annoys me but those things never give me that Ick feeling.

I tried really hard to shake it because we got on really well but I'd lost all attraction to him once I started noticing it.

Have a read at this then. Seems universal.

Yep, that would be an instant killjoy for me.

He had a pointy willy. The rest of him was PERFECTION and 100% my type. But his willy looked like it'd been through a pencil sharpener.

👋

The fact the guy who wrote this is Named "Rhik" is making me chuckle. Rhik writing about the ick

@DoingJustFine
Ha! I think I went out with him too unless the pointy thing is an actual thing

I think the “ick” is your subconscious trying to rationalise why you don’t want to be with someone. Something deep inside knows something isn’t right, but the only way your brain can explain it is assigning it to something banal like voice/clothes etc.

I remember once I got the Ick from his flip flops in the cupboard.

I really like flip flops - I wear them. But for some reason his just gave me the ick

@DrManhattan Were his initials AB?

a smelly glans penis - it wasn’t an unclean smell but I just didn’t like his natural scent, it was on the fishy/salty side

Pointy willy 🤣🤣

Flabby tummy. Which is mean because mine was pretty similar!

Absolutely! My aversion to his squeaky voice definitely said more about me than him. I also used to get the ick towards men who wear shoes. Shoes?! I would only date men who wore boots or trainers, if a shoe appeared I was off. I’m now married and DH has bought the odd pair, don’t annoy me now 🤣

Wore dungarees as a fashion statement
Just no

Not just Mumsnet

Mine was when he used 'pound' as a plural. Several times in one monologue. 'She travels all the way here every week. But that must cost a fortune. Like a hundred pound for the train. Then a hundred pound for a hotel. But she stays like three nights, so about three hundred pound. Then she eats out while she's here, easily another hundred pound. So about five hundred pound! Then she has to get back, another hundred pound. Now we're at at least six hundred pound.'

I was so fatally attracted to this man, and I can't express how powerfully I wanted to clamp a pillow over his face at this point.

The ick is such a mumsnet word
I hate it.