Just before the lockdown was introduced I met this guy online. We were just chatting and getting to know each other and he suddenly didn't reply to one of my messages. I have always lived by a 'rule' of never double message.
However, around a week later he messages me again and things pick up again. It's around this time the messaged become a bit more flirtatious. And sometimes he messaged me first to see how I was - which I thought showed he was interested.
At this stage it's the middle of lockdown and we couldn't meet. Which I think really prevented things from progressing. But we still carried on messaging.
My job then made it clear that I would be working remotely for quite some time. So I decided to stay with my parents for a while. Which probably affected things to. However it was around this time he started using language and making future plans with me in it - which sounds crazy for someone you've not met, but also quite nice at the same time.
He goes a but quiet for a while, which I thought was due to me not being around for a date. However out of the blue he messages and said he had a psychic reading and the psychic mentioned something about the area my parents live (and i was at the time). Personally I'm a bit sceptical about psychics but he's really into them and took that as a clear sign.
He then disappears for a few weeks. And I message again to see how he is, and he replies straight away. At the same time he was doing work on his house. I messaged to check in to see how it was going, but I got no reply.
Literally a month goes by, and I had resigned myself that I wasn't going to hear from him again. And he messages me out of the blue to apologise and say he's had a crap few weeks.
Coincidentally it's the night before I was due to leave my parents and return to my flat. He's clearly excited when I tell him that and offers to pick me up from the station. I um and ah as normally I think it would be weird for a 'first date' to be a lift in a car. But I agree as I want to see him.
That day I'm on the train back and send him a message. He replies that he completely forgot he was picking me up. I was so upset - as it was his idea. And thought that's it, he had his chance and he blew it.
His excuse for forgetting was that it was his first day back at work after months of being on furlough. He later admits that's not a good enough reason and vows to make it up to me.
I was waiting for him to make it up to me. So I left it up to him to make plans to see me and he doesn't suggest anything, even though we carry on messaging.
Again he disappears for a few days and comes back again. I think I'm completely wasting my time here and decide to give up on him.
So I go on a dating app and low and behold who pops up as a match. We have a bit of a heart to heart and he says he really likes me and wants to get to know me. He's said he's had a feeling about me all along.
So we go back to messaging. This time we cover old ground and he asks me something we spoke about before. Which to me rings alarm bells as he clearly wasn't interested in what I said.
We talk about meeting up again. It's worth noting we live in the Greater Manchester area, so we're not supposed to meet up with people we don't live with. However we had said by 1st September we'll do something. I messaged him on the 1st and mentioned it - and as of right now my message is still unread.
I really don't know what to think of this situation. I do wonder if we would have met by now if lockdown was never introduced. I must also point out that his dad passed away at the end of last year and I know he's still upset about that, which is understandable and I want to cut him some slack. But this appearing and disappearing act is annoying. In a way I wish he'd ghost me as I'd know where I stand.