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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Thought he was proposing. He wasn’t.

129 replies

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 17:27

Listen & learn young ladies. I’m a really private person, but am shell shocked atm. My partner of 5 yrs told me 3 mths ago (when pressed) that no, he didn’t want to marry as he’d been there before & failed. Him 59, me 49, never married. This after him leading me to believe he wanted to. Okay, fine.

Not happy, but spent the next 8 weeks in my remote job location getting my head around it & making plans for myself. EG: Switched from casual to permanent fifo, planning on packing my stuff for storage & selling my car. As being out there requires very little & will spend my 9 wks annual leave a year & flight allowances on travelling, visiting mates, whatever.

I came home 3 weeks ago & he proceeds to tell me how he thinks he’s been selfish, as clearly being married means more to me than him not marrying, & given he loves me & wants to spend the rest of his life with me anyway, he will do it. Awww I hear you say, how sweet. Yep, me too ladies, I swallowed it hook, line & sinker. Sooo, was waiting for a proposal. Today he says, well let’s go down to this jewellery store to get you an Xmas present. I said, no I’m fine I don’t need a trinket for Xmas. (As last year I nearly threw the cheap locket at him) as I’d been hoping for a ring. (When I say cheap, think something you would give to a 10 yr old). “Well, I’m going to go anyway, wouldn’t you rather it something you choose rather than being disappointed? & we’ll go for lunch first”.

Well I’m ashamed to say after all I’ve been through in my life, I was like an excited puppy thinking this is it. We get to the store & he says “would you like a watch?”. I said no thanks & walked out before anyone could see the tears welling. This man, who knows the hell myself & my children have been through at the hands of my alcoholic ex (who drank himself to death). Who knows I stayed single for 12 yrs because I didn’t even trust my own judgement as far as men were concerned, so refused to have anyone around my children. Who knows this is a hill I will die on due to my insecurities ( If I’m not good enough to marry I’ll walk). Has just figuratively kicked me in the guts. I am astonished that he is in fact a cruel bastard.

I’m lucky, my children are grown, I have a good job to go to, but young ladies, listen to your gut & don’t let them waste years of your life. My gut told me 4 yrs ago something wasn’t quite right, but every time I wanted to break it off, this tosser reeled me back in. I thought the world of him because he wasn’t abusive. Keep your standards high girls 💕

OP posts:
DBML · 12/12/2019 17:29

Nothing to say. Just wanted to send hugs 💐

Mummacake · 12/12/2019 17:34

Takethebull sending you big hugs. Back to Plan A and block him everywhere. He is emotionally abusive.

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 17:36

@DBML Thankyou

OP posts:
Sprinklemetinsel · 12/12/2019 17:37

What a scuzzball.

So sorry, and well done for grabbing your dignity and moving on.

HowlsMovingBungalow · 12/12/2019 17:38

So have you left him?

rvby · 12/12/2019 17:39

I'm sorry you feel sad. I dont think you "wasted" your time with him, if you were happy during the times you spent together.

He sounds a bit odd and very insensitive, but at the same time, maybe the lesson for "young girls" is that no relationship should be entered into with a goal in mind, and especially not a goal that you need another person to be on board with in order for it to work.

Relying on other people to take actions that you hope will ease your insecurities, is a really dangerous gamble. There is really no such thing as being "good enough to marry". That very idea is massively toxic. Marriage is a legal contract used to pool assets - it's not a statement of anyone's personal worth.

I would say the real lesson here is to know yourself, have boundaries, and keep your eyes clear and open as you assess whether a situation works for you - regardless of your gender, or what kind of marital status works best for your personal circumstances.

Wishing you the best.

Chewbecca · 12/12/2019 17:42

Sorry to hear this.

It sounds like you need to sit down and have an honest conversation about your future and decide either to get married, to stay together without marriage or to go your separate ways.

FWIW, if I am ever widowed or divorced, I will never marry again. I would wish to stay legally and financially independent. Maybe that's what he thinks too, it isn't necessarily wrong.

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 17:43

@Mummacake yeah have realised I’m not as evolved as I thought, am flying out to work again on Sunday, am boxing my gear as we speak to put in storage tomorrow. Then he’s blocked. Can find another “friend” to discuss his days with.

OP posts:
NumbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsStation · 12/12/2019 17:44

Have been in your shoes.

My situation involved a relocation 500 miles away - the day after my best mate’s wedding (which he was due to attend).

So. I left my job. Sold the bits I thought I didn’t need. Packed up and changed all my contact details etc.

He didn’t show.

After 12 years together.

Have a hug from me and my ignored gut Flowers

MrsMozartMkII · 12/12/2019 17:45

Either he's the dumbest idiot going, or he's an absolute shit.

I hope it's the former and he wakes up to what he's losing.

FruitcakeOfHate · 12/12/2019 17:45

So have you dumped him? Do NOT take him back. He's stringing you along. If marriage is a dealbreaker for you then you need to walk.

Spot on, rvby.

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 17:54

@rvby Yep I totally hear you & understand where you are coming from. And in my case, have questioned my own motives Re: good enough to marry. I came to the conclusion that that is what I needed from him in order to feel secure, & made that clear. Am chuckling to myself as I type this. That should’ve told me something shouldn’t it? Can’t help the way I feel though & I can respect honesty, not games though.

OP posts:
katy1213 · 12/12/2019 17:54

Sounds like you have a whole life waiting for you that's much more interesting than a 59-year-old man who's a tightwad.
If he's dragging his heels now over the engagement, he'll be dragging his heels over a wedding - only to marry you in 10 years time when he's getting a bit doddery and thinks you'll come in useful as a potential carer.
You're well out of it!

SweetAsSpice · 12/12/2019 17:56

Flowers incredibly cruel.

mbosnz · 12/12/2019 18:00

Flowers Wine Cake

Sounds to me like a woman with smarts, strength, guts and class.

His fricking loss.

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 18:00

@NumbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsStation oh nooo, you must have been gutted. Wtf did you do? Why can’t people just be honest, & say what they mean. It’s not that hard ffs.

OP posts:
FruitcakeOfHate · 12/12/2019 18:01

tbh, I wouldn't want to marry someone whom I had to cajole and persuade. I'm your age and I also wouldn't marry anyone that old, either.

So do you live together? Have you told him you're through?

Ohjustboreoff · 12/12/2019 18:05

Sending hugs. I know how you feel I was with someone 8 years when he said the words "Well I was thinking of marrying you but I'm not now" dumped his ass enough to make his head spin.

NumbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsStation · 12/12/2019 18:07

I was distraught.

He got in touch saying he’d been too embarrassed to say that he hadn’t sorted out somewhere for us to live. Professed undying love. He’d make it better.

I was stupid enough to believe him. I gave him 6 months.

Guess what?

Same again.

I left him. After all those years together. By text.

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 18:10

@katy1213 oh you don’t know how much you nailed it, I nearly pissed myself laughing. He is indeed a tightwad, loves nothing more than his rising bank balance. Oh well I hope they’re very happy together 😂

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FruitcakeOfHate · 12/12/2019 18:13

Jesus wept! ALWAYS dump tightwads. Bet he'll reel you back in.

AlwaysOnAbloodyDiet · 12/12/2019 18:22

Awh, I was reading it and hoping and thinking that ''Would you like a watch''? was a misjudged joke, and then he'd ask for engagement rings, even though I'd already read your OP title.

It just amazes me that anyone can be so uncaring, so thoughtless, so cruel Sad

AlwaysMessingUp · 12/12/2019 18:23

Sorry OP. You sound like a strong woman and someone who knows their worth so you will get through this. What a twat though.

Bluntness100 · 12/12/2019 18:26

Have you told him it's over op?

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 18:27

@FruitcakeOfHate, yeah he’s known for 3 years I wanted to marry, we’ve lived together for 5. I felt like you, as in geez if I have to push it, then it’s not right. So I moved 250 kms away for a better job & he followed😳. So I thought wow he’s serious. 12 months later when I got the poxy locket, I took a fifo job, & he’s still playing games. Him & his ED & his bank account can be very happy together. Meeeow, I’m just hurt. I love him but he should have let me go long ago.

OP posts: