I have dogs and chat to other dog owners on my walks. It's all very pleasant, generally. I consider these people acquaintances, not friends.
One gentleman, 20 years older than me, cared for his sick wife full time and walking his dog was his only break. Sometimes he would open up about how difficult this was and how he never got a break. I was sympathetic, I have counselling and Samaritans experience, so I made some suggestions about respite care etc.
Then maybe a year later his dog died and his wife died within 2 weeks of each other. Tragic. His response was to hit the bottle. Hard. One evening he knocks at my door to talk. He had been drinking but i didnt know because he didn't appear drunk. He proceeded to tell me that he loved me, out of nowhere! I showed him the door.
He continued to drink heavily over the next few weeks and fell over and ended up in hospital. He was very ill. His neighbours and other dog walkers were very concerned. He got out of hospital and quit the booze. He claimed he didn't remember calling in me and telling me he loved me. I let it go.
He then asked me to do some writing for him as it's one of my part time projects.
I left it for a few months due to work and to give him time to recover.
We talk about meeting up to discuss and arrange a meeting. He then sees me in the street ad addresses me as 'darling'. He tries to sound light hearted but I make it clear I do not approve.
When I set up a meeting with him, in a public place, he calls me an hour before to see if I need him to call me a taxi because it's raining. It's a 5 minute walk to the meeting. I say no and that I can drive myself if need be. He then says do you want to go out for a meal? I say no. It's a meeting to discuss work. The meeting is friendly but I make it clear it's business. He keeps offering me drinks. I repeat, no, I don't drink, I'm working.
This was too much for me. I leave the meeting and don't see him for a few weeks. I'm uncomfortable and don't want to continue interacting with him.
I message him and tell him that if any project is going to happen, it's clearly a working relationship- not romantic and to keep things that way. I've had unwanted advances as a tutor from parents in the past.
When I see him a few weeks later he tells me he's upset and I'm.making too much of it. But I say, it's how I feel that matters. I'm uncomfortable and I wanted to make things clear.
Am I being unreasonable?