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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

Am I right to feel this way?

59 replies

Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 10:53

Sorry, this is veeerry long.

Myself and a guy I knew around from school got chatting via Facebook.

(He had actually dated a friend of mine at school, it was quite a weird situation because he dated her after his brother dated her, the brother had gone off to uni in another country and I don't know if he ever knew about it. But this was 17 yrs or so ago so ..).

Anyway, he's based in another part of the UK, but returns here to visit family etc. sometimes. We arranged to meet up when he was back here for a friend's wedding in Nov. We met up for drinks and stayed out very late one night (it was supposed to be with some other friends of his from school who were also attending the wedding but they bowed out and we went ahead on our own).
He mentioned that his younger brother, who lives here in their family home with his family, was considering emigrating to Oz, where one of the other brothers is altesfy living…. and that he'd hate to see his family home sold outside the family (it's an old farm house) and he'd consider moving back and living there himself (which would work ok because his job involves him working in different places and travelling regularly anyway). This made me think spending time together and a potential relationship developing was more feasible than if he was based in another part of the UK.

During the wide ranging conversation, I asked him if he was single/seeing anyone (he had mentioned nothing about it) and was somewhat surprised when he said he was. He'd been seeing a woman he knew through his social group on and off for 6 months but that they hadn't seen each other for the better part of two months now, that "he knew it was over, she knew it was over", but they needed to have the official conversation finishing it. He also mentioned that their mutual friends told him it wasn't going to work out and he should finish it (I got the impression this was more due to his attitude/behaviour than hers).
He mentioned that the "friendship had grown" with her, he valued the friendship, they'd gotten close etc. but he was not really attracted to her enough for a relationship ongoing.

That night I offered for him to stay at my place when we finally left the drinks venue (because it was v late, the weather was v bad and I didn't know exactly how far out in the countryside his family home is etc. ) but he declined. I think perhaps he thought I was offering a ONS or something like that, I wasnt; tbh I'm not sure what I was thinking.

He stayed in regular contact during the rest of his stay, and invited me to the cinema on his next free night. When he dropped me home, I got the impression he was expecting another invite in/to stay, but I'd had a think about his "situationship" back home and wanted to try to avoid anything sexual or romantic until he was properly single. I just said it would be great to meet up at Christmas when he was due back for another trip.

He was pretty shit at contact when he returned to his part of the UK. He wasn't really initiating it, and was often slow to reply (though always replied). I matched that behaviour after a couple of messages and took as long or longer to reply. He did initiate contact shortly before he was due back in my area for Christmas, and then seemed keen to meet up when he did come back. We met for a countryside walk, and hung out a bit at his family home. We touched on the pace of messaging/replying when he was back home and he said that's he's pretty crap at communication when not in in same place as someone, and that it has caused issues in every relationship he's ever been in (!). He mentioned that I'd been v slow to reply myself and I just said that it was in response to the pace he'd set.

We ranged over lots of topics of conversation, got along v well, he was taking pictures of me at beauty spots etc, and back at his family home, I was finding it difficult not to be affectionate/flirtatious and he was reciprocating.
I was v aware of the situation with the girlfriend back home so I, again, asked outright him about his status, and whether he finished the relationship properly. He said he'd tried to end the relationship, but that she'd gotten very upset, that she asked him could they at least stay together for Christmas & NY because she didn't want to be single at that time of year, especially because of her family situation (he mentioned she's estranged from most of her family) etc etc and so he'd agreed (and that he's "useless", and "tends to stick his head in the sand" about things like this (!!)

I was disappointed & frustrated, felt I should probably stop seeing him during the remainder of his trip, I said that I felt like we should keep things platonic until he had properly finished the relationship; he agreed and said "we'll respect it more".

He mentioned joining him and his brother for a drink on Christmas Eve, but didn't follow through. Then he invited me to join him for drinks on boxing night at a place where some people who attended our school hang out. I was in two minds but thought it was more of a group thing so (and my alternative plans weren't working) so I went. He went out of his way to give me a lift to the venue (left it to come back out and collect me). During the evening he was v much in "friend" mode and replied to a guy he knows who asked was I his girlfriend with "no no, a friend". He was far from being by my side for much of the night, and I was perfectly happy with that because I kept getting chatting to people from school and was enjoying it.

Drinks were flowing, I was increasingly tipsy and he presumably was too and started getting touchy feely towards the end of the night. I decided to join some of the people there for a small house party, he joined it too. The host assumed we were together and he again corrected him when he said "oh so are you two together".
I then decided to go on a small house party of a separate friend of mine and he wanted to come along. When we stopped (in a taxi now because he had drunk too much to drive and one of his brothers had agreed to drive the car he was using home instead) at my house to get some wine etc. to take along to the second house party, he suggested we just go into mine and watch a movie there. I said no to that and we went on to the house party.
We were a bit too late and pretty much everyone at the house party had fallen asleep, my friend chatted with us but was tired and wanted to go to sleep too. He assumed we were together, got us bed clothes for a makeshift bed in the sitting room, and this guy went along with sleeping with me there. By this point i was very drunk, and I imagine he was pretty drunk too. We had minor sexual contact, it was pretty awkward. Went to sleep briefly. He woke up in an apparent tizzie about the car, about where it was, that now he had to get it from there asap as he was responsible for driving family members to a lunch at a cousins house etc etc. I decided to leave with him in the taxi he immediately rang and go back to my house rather than trying to sleep on the floor of a cottage sitting room (with my friend and the others probably not getting up til late due to hangovers, tiredness etc.) It was awkward in the taxi, he was v distracted and when it dropped me off, I turned to wave bye and he was completely fixated on his phone and didn't even look up.

The next day he didn't follow through on a vague invite to drinks with him and some of his family members in a sports club. He had a specialist item of clothing I'd left behind accidentally in his car on the walk that i needed for an activity I was doing the next day so I messaged him and he said he'd drop it around sometime, but it wouldn't be before I left on the activity trip; quite a difference from his previous behaviour.
I went on the short trip for the activity, and came back to my item squashed through the letterbox, no message, and no communication since.
He mentioned he was not sure what he was doing at NY but apparently left my home region without a word in my direction.

From constant messaging (when he's here) and invites from him….. to that , was quite a change.

I messaged him just before NY and said o was surprised he chucked my clothing through the door without without word, and that in general I found his behaviour a bit shit.
Constant messaging (when he's here) and invites from him….. to that, was quite a change.
He replied (after I missed a call from him) with a "never meant to upset/offend you" and other random (to me) bullshit.

Tbh I'm disappointed, angry, feel like an idiot ….

Am I justified or am I to blame for continuing context and letting letting stay at the house party.

Opinions please.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 11:00

(Continuing contact and letting him stay at the (second) house party).

OP posts:
JDaytona · 14/01/2022 11:01

I couldn't be bothered with this man. Sounds like he wants access to a casual FWB situation when he's local, but doesn't want to hassle of any communication when he's away. It's a non starter.

Sparkai · 14/01/2022 11:06

He is in a relationship back home that isn't ending and you are a nice distraction when he is back where he grew up. He was distracted the day after you slept together because he was trying to come up with a damage control plan.

Don't be a mug

Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 11:11

What's with "we'll respect it more if we do" (stay platonic until he's properly finished his relationship) .... bullshit, or irrelevant given we got drunk and had (awkward) minimal sexual contact.

He's also said every relationship he's had kinda fell apart if there was distance (even knowing it was temporary).

Agree its a non starter though.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 11:12

He was distracted the day after you slept together because he was trying to come up with a damage control plan.

I wondered whether the messaging was entirely about the car or about replying to his on off gf, who presumably hadn't had any contact from him since the previous day.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 11:14

He does seem very ambivalent about her though; "not physically attracted enough" is pretty damning, but ..

OP posts:
RosieCockle · 14/01/2022 11:19

Well he would say that, wouldn't he?

Veryverycalmnow · 14/01/2022 11:21

He's messing you around and not being very clear. Weigh up whether you need this stress in your life, for a man that may or may not want to be involved with you. Do you feel like you're falling for him? He sounds like he's not sure what he wants.

Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 11:30

@RosieCockle

Well he would say that, wouldn't he?
Reading between the lines re their mutual friends telling him to end the relationship /involvement; it sounds like he isn't really into her/committed and she's getting messed around and hurt, hence their advice.

Not saying this means he's any good as a potential partner for me or anyone else.

OP posts:
FetchezLaVache · 14/01/2022 11:58

I imagine one of his friends once commented that they didn't consider him and the GF to be an obvious match. This has got translated into 'all my friends think I should dump her' while trying to get into your pants.

TossaCointoYerWitcha · 14/01/2022 12:05

Even if he isn’t really into his current GF, he’s made a promise to her. As - to his credit - you’ve both discussed and agreed, things should stay platonic whilst that’s the case. What’s occurred is a classic case of people playing with fire, but rationalising it away as “oh, we’ll if we do X it isn’t cheating on paper, is it, so everything will be okay” . Just because you don’t shout “elephant” doesn’t mean there’s not still an elephant in the room. The whole story is filled with moments that sound set up for “oops! We accidentally fell into each other’s erogenous zones!”

And then, finally, oh dear an “accident” occurred (no doubt enabled by the drink) and “minor” sexual activity took place. So he’s woken up the next day, sober, and realised a line has been crossed. And given he’s been actually fairly self-controlled up to this point, he’s likely beating himself up about it. Cheating is bad. People don’t like to think of themselves as bad people. Hence his extreme reaction the other way the next day. Unlike yourself, he can no longer rationalise any future social activities with you as platonic anymore after sexual activity has taken place, no matter how minor.

That said, as PPs have pointed out, he’s not exactly someone with balls or a sense of what he wants. I’d actually doubt his excuses about his GF emotionally blackmailing him - it’s probably more likely ending it is a hassle so he’s finding reasons to put it off. He seems a passive person which might not be the best type to invest a relationship with anyway. As other’s have said, even if you date he might end up drifting away and not putting in much effort. Just look at the sheer number of posts from married women on this board decrying their husbands for not pulling their weight. That could be your future with this guy.

Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 12:10

@FetchezLaVache

I imagine one of his friends once commented that they didn't consider him and the GF to be an obvious match. This has got translated into 'all my friends think I should dump her' while trying to get into your pants.
He said that a couple of people in their group told him he needed to end the "relationship" with her.

I did not get the impression this was for his sake, but for hers.

OP posts:
supercali77 · 14/01/2022 12:12

You're basing a lot of what you think is going on with his gf on what he tells you. Thats a mistake. You're also reading a lot into small comments like 'we'll respect it more'. People lie/hedge/intimate without being direct. Its really simple. If he was interested in a relationship he would contact regularly. Men are not complicated in that way. Nor are women really. If people are interested in something real they'll be forthcoming. In any case he's messing around behind a gfs back. Why would you want him? Raise your bar!

TheFoundation · 14/01/2022 12:12

I couldn't read all that, but whatever he's done or you've done, it's important to grasp that you decide if you're justified in feeling something. It's the basis of self respect. Once you realise that your feelings are valid if you say they are, you'll avoid drama like this in the future because you'll feel justified in turning and walking away at the first hint of it.

Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 12:38

You're basing a lot of what you think is going on with his gf on what he tells you. Thats a mistake.

You think I'm drawing the flattering .conclusions; I'm not.

I'm drawing the conclusion he acts like this to women in general and in her case their mutual friends think he's mistreating her and are trying to get him to stop. It takes a lot for people to step outside diplomacy/laissez faire and encourage someone to end the relationship within a group.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 12:42

(I'd imagine they don't think she will end it/walk away so it would have to be him, and her apparent reaction before Christmas would back that up.

BTW I don't think he's lying about that, I really don't get that impression. If he was lying, wouldbt it have been easier to say they finished (?)

And if I found out later they weren't somehow, say they got back together.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 12:56

That said, as PPs have pointed out, he’s not exactly someone with balls or a sense of what he wants

Yep.

OP posts:
supercali77 · 14/01/2022 14:36

@Tamworth123 yes but he told you what his mutual friends thought according to your OP. The point is if he were interested and available for anything more you'd hear from him regularly. Whatever's going on I'd move on from him

Hemingwayzcatz · 14/01/2022 14:45

He has a girlfriend and isn’t even hiding that. He’s following the script many cheaters do even when they’re married of ‘yes I am in a relationship but it isn’t working out and we’ve pretty much separated’ and you’ve fallen for it hook, line and sinker. I would put money on his GF having absolutely no idea they’re supposedly separated or even on the verge of it.

This is a total non starter. The reason his contact his few and far between when he’s back home is because HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND and he doesn’t want her to find out. I will say it one more time for effect, he is in a relationship so steer clear in future.

Loveisthere · 14/01/2022 15:20

Op you sound like you tried to make things happen and he was not that bothered. He does not sound very nice, he is not very nice about is girlfriend and is treating you badly. You can do much better than him

Rudeppl · 14/01/2022 15:26

If he genuinely fancied you, you’d know about it. Harsh but true. I’m sorry just people are shitty.

Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 15:41

People don’t like to think of themselves as bad people. Hence his extreme reaction the other way the next day. Unlike yourself, he can no longer rationalise any future social activities with you as platonic anymore after sexual activity has taken place, no matter how minor.

Agree, that's one of the reasons he stopped virtually all contact after boxing night/next day.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 15:44

If he genuinely fancied you, you’d know about it. Harsh but true

I could tell he fancied me.

But fancying someone is not the same as wanting to get involved with them, or have any kind of relationship with them, or definitively ending even an unstable relationship you've been in for them.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 15:50

I would put money on his GF having absolutely no idea they’re supposedly separated or even on the verge of it.

You will no doubt say im deluded and hea lying, but my strong impression (and I'm usually alright at telling if people are lying) is that he was telling the truth about their relationship and about his attempt to end it.

It also its with his "carried along by circumstances, go with the flow, laissez faire, I'm useless, laid back", emotionally unintelligent behaviour in general. He's not really into it, but he's too laid back and cowardly etc to push through with ending it amd dealing with her upset. He had a theoretical moral objection to cheating with me but "couldn't" help himself with some alcohol in his system. (And he didn't need to keep making "dates" before then either.

OP posts:
Tamworth123 · 14/01/2022 15:52

I'd suspect he's the type of guy who never really finishes relationships, just let's then drift .. or gets finished with by the woman who's at thread of her tether.

OP posts: