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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Could I have handled this better? Made him leave

495 replies

Brooklans · 25/06/2025 21:06

I originally met a man 18 months ago. Although nothing happened, we kept in contact as friends through text and social media. Recently, we started to get closer. For a month we spoke everyday, talking about our days, and deeper conversations to do with our families, past grief, and bad relationships we’d had. So after a month, we decided to go on a proper date. Date went well, although no kiss, both went home separately.

A few days after our date I was due to go abroad for a month to take some time out and relax at my mum’s timeshare apartment in a hot country. As we’d just had our date and I didn’t want to wait a month to see him again, I invited him to fly out and stay for 6 days (6 hour flight away)

We both agreed no pressure, it’ll be a friendship holiday for us both, we’ll each have our own rooms, and we’ll just see what happens. I also told him he can feel free to do his own thing sometimes if he wants. So a week after I flew out, so did he.

He arrived on Sunday very late at night, I picked him up at the airport and we both went to bed soon after we got back, to our separate rooms.

The following morning, on Monday, we went to the beach together. Then we went back to the apartment, and I went to visit my friend for a couple of hours. I came back, and we went out for a meal. During the meal I started to realise that I don’t feel the spark I was hoping and couldn’t see us progressing into anything beyond a friendship. We got back to the apartment and he asked if I wanted to watch something with him. I excused myself and went to bed early but told him to make himself at home and watch whatever.

The next morning on Tuesday I went to the gym alone and ran some errands, I texted him to say I’d be home no later than 4 hours, and once I’m back we’ll go to another beach together. I took slightly longer and he texted me asking how long I’ll be. The apartment is in the middle of no where and nothing I’m walking distance, so I could tell he was getting a bit restless. When I arrived back he didn’t say it but I could tell he had got a bit impatient. I grabbed my things to go to the beach, and told him I’d drop him off at the beach and meet him there later as I had to help the friend I saw the day before with something. He looked put out. I gave him some swimming equipment as I know he likes water sports/swimming. I dropped him off at the beach and said he’d see me later. It felt awkward.

A few hours later I rung him to say I’d only be another hour then I’d pick him up. He said “Pick me up? I thought you were joining me not picking me up?” I said I just wanted to relax at the apartment, it had been a long day. But he was more than welcome to stay there and I’ll pick him up later. He said okay he’ll stay, and will speak to me later.

Then I get a text saying “Do you even want me here? You seem to be taking your time with everything and last night you went to bed early you said to sleep, but I heard your tv on still a couple of hours later. I don’t need free accommodation and lifts if i wanted a holiday alone I could do that. I came to spend time with you.”

I reminded him of our talk before he arrived, that he’ll be free to do his own thing too. It was a casual arrangement and that I can’t put everything on hold because he’s here for 6 days. Said that I’m tired and I don’t feel like chilling on a beach and I need to help my friend. He just replied “Okay help your friend, I’ll call you later when I’m ready to come back”.

At that point it felt more awkward than it had done when I dropped him off, so I screenshotted a flight home for that night, at 11:30pm to him with the message “If it’s going to be awkward like this now and you’re going to make me feel like I can’t do what I’d usually do, I’d rather book you this flight home. You’ve woken up in a mood this morning I’ve not done anything wrong”. He immediately texted back “Okay book it”. I told him to book it and I’ll transfer the money. And said it had been an awkward day.

He said “You’re the one making it awkward, I’ve not been here 48 hours yet and you’re sending me screenshots to flights home because I asked you one question. I said help your friend and I’ll see you later tonight. I can’t fly home tonight It’s 5:30pm already I’ve been swimming I don’t have time to shower and pack and make it to airport in time. I’ll fly home tomorrow, don’t worry no awkwardness from me. See you later”

At this point I’m annoyed that he’s dictating when he will leave as he’s the guest. I texted back “I still think it’s better you leave tonight to be honest I don’t want any awkwardness”. He replied “Okay”.

When we got back to the apartment it stated we were unable to book the flight online as it was under 5 hours from the departure time. As the airport is a while away and there wasn’t a guarantee he would get a seat once arriving there, I said he could stay the night and I’ll sort him a flight for the next day. He was annoyed, he said that he’d also realised we weren’t right together romantically but that I was treating him unkindly and kicking him out so soon because of it, he was still prepared to remain friends. I said I’d asked him to leave as he’s was being awkward, not because of that. He went for a long walk after that, then went straight to his room.

Following morning, on the Tuesday I went out again. When I came back he was sat on the balcony and stayed there. I made some food and went for a shower. Before I go in the shower I texted him “Hey, what time is your flight? I might be able to take you to the airport, if not I’ll get my friend to take you. He’ll do it for half the price taxi drivers charge around here. I can also drop you off at another beach for the day. Just let know what time your flight is so I can plan my day”.
After my shower he knocked on my door and said with a snarky attitude “Why are you texting me when you can see I’m on the balcony? And you say I’m awkward ! I haven’t booked my flight you said yesterday you’d sort it” I replied “No I told you to book it and I’d send you the money for it but fine I’m not going to argue I’ll book it now” I booked him a flight, paid for it with my own money. Only time for that day was at 11:30pm. Told him what time his flight was, and I’d get my friend to take him to airport. He says, again with an attitude “Great nice 6 hour flight at midnight. Fantastic” At this point I can’t wait for him to leave.

Dropped him off at beach for the day and my friend picked him up in evening for airport, he didn’t even say bye to me. Has since blocked me on everything.

I really struggle with awkwardness. Was I BU or was he?

OP posts:
Guavafish1 · 26/06/2025 01:04

Miscommunication on both parts

but you were the inviting host… you behaved poorly.

I would block you too… nasty

Painrelief · 26/06/2025 01:07

What’s more worrying is even after alll the many many people posting how unreasonable she’s been , she still believes she hasn’t been … she just can’t see how terrible her behaviour has been 😕

put yourself in his shoes for one minute …

SuperNovajovic · 26/06/2025 01:08

i’ve never seen this place so unanimously united, and over a MAN
You fucked it OP

ChessorBuckaroo · 26/06/2025 01:09

I will assume for now this thread is real and OP is not making this up for shits and giggles (as another poster did last week), so have to ask then, do you have any issue with communicating with people OP? Have you been diagnosed with anything? It would explain your lack of understanding if you have.

Butteredradish3 · 26/06/2025 01:16

Wow if you can’t see that YABVU then no wonder you are single. What a poor guy, fair enough no spark but you treated him appallingly.

ChessorBuckaroo · 26/06/2025 01:21

Painrelief · 26/06/2025 01:07

What’s more worrying is even after alll the many many people posting how unreasonable she’s been , she still believes she hasn’t been … she just can’t see how terrible her behaviour has been 😕

put yourself in his shoes for one minute …

Again if this thread is real, I don't think she can. Her follow up posts would indicate that. Self absorbed, lacking empathy, failure to grasp how rude she is despite everyone saying so. This goes further than this incident.

FlamingoFloss · 26/06/2025 01:23

Just wow

levampire · 26/06/2025 01:36

Brooklans · 25/06/2025 23:38

I accept my actions before I took him to the beach caused his upset. But after that conversation over text I didn’t see anyway of rectifying the mood or coming back from that. So believe that getting him the flight home was the best option

I did offer to drive him places if he wanted to get food and stuff. I didn’t completely ignore him.

You invited him for this 'holiday' after one date, because you didn't want to wait a month to see him again - then he arrived and you treated him like a cheap top you ordered online and now don't like the look of! How can you not see how poorly you have handled every aspect of this, beginning with the silly invite.

Milosc · 26/06/2025 01:44

That poor man. You treated him terribly. You should be ashamed of yourself.

ThatDaringEagle · 26/06/2025 01:46

You sound like a totally self centred, cold ,& cruel person OP, and your later posts show you to being self righteous to the point of being deluded.

I hope you meet someone you fly 6 hours to be with for a week & they treat you even half as badly as this. You deserve karma.

And no one deserves you - you're a dangerous dose tbh.

angelco · 26/06/2025 01:47

All I need to add is you even wrote your story telling us that you told him different things once that you would pay for it and then to book it and you’d send money and then you said you’d sort it which is why he didn’t

Cabinqueen · 26/06/2025 01:48

Yes, indeed you could have handled this better. It appears lots of posters agree with this statement except you!

Good grief woman, you treated him appallingly and want affirmation to the contrary. If a man had treated you in this exact way, would you feel he'd treated you fairly. I think not...

Can you imagine him telling his next date about you? Women like you give the rest of us a bad name.

Robinredd · 26/06/2025 02:02

I'm literally picking my jaw up off the floor after reading that. JFC that's a horrendous way to treat anyone but someone who flew 6 hours to spend time with you? Wow. This is so bad I'm actually wondering if it's real!

Surelookit · 26/06/2025 02:06

If this is true you’re an absolute bitch OP, stay single for all our sons sakes

SecondVerseSameAsThe1st · 26/06/2025 02:13

I wouldn’t want you for a friend. You are not nice.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 26/06/2025 02:16

You're a nightmare.

tamade · 26/06/2025 02:20

@Brooklans
Do you like pulling spiders' legs off?

InWalksBarberalla · 26/06/2025 03:15

Brooklans · 25/06/2025 23:38

I accept my actions before I took him to the beach caused his upset. But after that conversation over text I didn’t see anyway of rectifying the mood or coming back from that. So believe that getting him the flight home was the best option

I did offer to drive him places if he wanted to get food and stuff. I didn’t completely ignore him.

Why did you ask him what time his flight was when you said you'd book it? You are contradicting yourself even on here.

Planesmistakenforstars · 26/06/2025 03:41

It was a bad decision on his part as well as yours to go away together, but otherwise I genuinely read this trying to have some sympathy for you, but you just keep doubling down on being a complete twat with zero emotional intelligence. You treated him appallingly, but at least he's well rid of you.

user1492757084 · 26/06/2025 03:45

You did not treat this man as an adult guest.
Why did you not plan out your errands clearly when he arrived? Why did you not plot some together times? Some times when he had the car? What you would cook and when? etc. etc.
You left him waiting on your every communication and hoping that he was attractive enough to you to warrant a dinner date, a swim hour or a meal together.
Good on him for ghosting you.

LAMPS1 · 26/06/2025 04:01

He was your holiday guest for six days, completely at your mercy in a place he didn’t know, with no transport and nowhere to go.

You treated him like a piece of rubbish to get rid of before it started to smell, highlighting the fact that you had a full and busy life to be getting on with while he was stuck. Is that why you invited him, to show off your life because that’s what it sounds like the way you wrote your post. None of your subsequent posts make you sound any less cruel.

You were more than unreasonable. You treated him with utter contempt.
Shame on you.

CuthbertStrange · 26/06/2025 04:25

Of all the things I’ve ever read here on MN, yours takes the cake. You’re shocking.

Starlia · 26/06/2025 04:31

You couldn’t have handled it worse, but I suspect you are so self-absorbed you have no insight into your awful behaviour.

Mumofnarnia · 26/06/2025 04:43

What the hell have I just read?

So you went on one date, invited him on a holiday, then decided there was no spark, completely avoided him for the rest of his stay and are now blaming everything on him! And this was AFTER you say you couldn’t wait a month to see him again yet it sounds like you spent the whole time away from him and making him feel unwelcome and unwanted. Wow you really are quite the avoidant aren’t you! It’s a you problem I’m afraid!
He’s done nothing wrong. He was a guest and the way you treated him was disgraceful. You really have shown yourself up for the person you really are and at least he can see that now your mask has slipped off. He really has dodged a bullet with you.

Mumofnarnia · 26/06/2025 04:49

In fact, there’s no wonder you’re single op if this is how you treat people!

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