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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

BF dismissive, shrugs at me, had a go

113 replies

Calling · 02/06/2025 16:34

I went on a French city break with my BF and I just don't know what to make of his behaviour some of the time. He turned unpleasant to me and I would value some advice about what happened, please. I just saw something emerge that stunned me and I feel punched in the stomach.
We met in the city where I went there before him and I was telling him about the things I had seen, but he wasn't really responding in his usual way, v probably because he had just been very busy and he said that he was very tired. So when he played up, I put it down to that.
We were enjoying a meal when he picked up his phone and took a call for about 15 minutes, then didn't say sorry. Usually we agree never to do that because we say it is rude during a meal in a restaurant.
He has a habit of butting in when I am asking a waiter about the menu and BF justified that by saying that his French is better than mine (it is) but I enjoy the interaction and practice. He continued to do that, despite my asking him not to.
When we were checking out, I put borrowed plug adapters on the hotel front desk and he said "you need to hand them back" - which I was doing, obviously. I diffused the situation by saying "no, I am going to take them home with me" and he shouted at me "no, you can't do that, they don't belong to you!". I was stunned that he shouted at me and patronised me like that. In fact there were other examples of him patronising and also dismissing me.

We went to a cafe in a garden and he went off to buy coffees. I found seats and was chatting to a v nice couple. I couldn't see BF and waved. Eventually, BF returned with a face like thunder. When the couple left, he had a real go at me,
"you should not have chosen to sit with your back to where I was, I was looking for you, its not what couples do, I sent you a text" and went on. He was really angry. It was a mistake of mine.
When we queued to get into a restaurant, he offered to queue for me in the heatwave while I sat in a shady cafe and he would phone me. I got his phone calls but there was no sound so I sent him a text to say what's happening. Then I got up and found him at the head of the queue and he just had a furious go at me: "you didn't answer texts, I waited and now we have to stand aside waiting for the man to let us in'. Why didn't you answer my texts? I said "again, you are accusing me without looking at things. I sent you texts! He showed me his texts and he had sent them by WhatsApp not by text as we had agreed (issues with my phone). He didn't say sorry.

The last day, we met for lunch and he seemed in a better mood and he said he had had a good explore, then I said you seem in a much better mood, that you had not always been and eventually I said that I was upset by his behaviour to me. I really tried hard to have a non-blaming discussion. He said you should have raised them at the time and I said it doesn't matter, I'm raising it now, it's my right to say when I want to". He said things like he was ok with having an argument and I said look, I virtually never have one, I am telling you my feelings, if you want an argument you pick on someone else. He said "I used to be like you, never expressing my feelings", I replied "I have just been telling you my feelings! I am really upset that you shouted at me." I carried on and then he just shrugged in a dismissive way and I pointed that out and he shrugged again dismissively.

I said that I had been upset and cried but he offered no comfort or compassion.
I have been feeling numb ever since I got home (we live apart and not in the same area).
Sorry for the longish post. Is his behaviour enough to leave him? I have a lot to lose by doing so, he had been v supportive before.

OP posts:
sonjadog · 02/06/2025 16:37

His behaviour is enough to leave him if you want to leave him. He doesn't have to pass a certain threshold before you can dump him. Do it if you want to. But yes, I would dump him after this. This isn't someone I would want to build a future with. Do you really want to spend years with someone who behaves like this?

MiloMinderbinder925 · 02/06/2025 16:44

It sounds like he was in a bad mood and very tetchy. What's he usually like? What's your communication like? Can you have a conversation this week and discuss it?

Speakingofdinosaurs · 02/06/2025 16:46

How long have you been together?
You don’t seem to know each other very well - why didn’t he take your comment about the adapters as a joke?
He couldn’t see you when he returned with coffees - why weren’t you keeping an eye out for him?
When you got his phone calls when he was in the restaurant queue, why didn’t you immediately go to see him - I think I would have assumed that he had reached the head of the queue and wanted me to come.
Him taking a 15min phone call during lunch was rude.
You seem to have a lot of mix ups with your communications with each other.

Sedgwick · 02/06/2025 16:49

I would dump him, he sounds horrible. I have never had a man behave like that to me and if someone behaved like that to my daughter I would be very disappointed if she didn’t dump him. Keep your standards high.

S0j0urn4r · 02/06/2025 16:54

Life's too short to put up with this shit. Dump.

Calling · 02/06/2025 16:56

Communication has improved, but clearly not enough.
We have been together for about 8 years.
I should have looked out for him better at the cafe, I did, but not enough.

There is a back story in that we went out many years ago and re-connected. Before we originally split up, things went pear-shaped and he was very unpleasant and I finished it. I keep thinking about that time and wonder whether this is the same, building up to leaving me, but he has really improved since then, until now.

OP posts:
junebirthdaygirl · 02/06/2025 16:57

A few things you did would have annoyed me. Why weren't you watching out for him coming back with the coffee? My dh is always looking in another direction and l always have to search..that is annoying. Obviously he was calling you to come that he was in top of the the queue..kindly waiting in the heat..just go to him and at least check. So both of you are a bit off.
Sometimes travelling/ heat/ new places can cause stress so wondering what he is like normally.

PandaPeacock · 02/06/2025 16:58

Why do you keep excusing his behaviour? Do you think you deserve to be treated this way?

AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/06/2025 17:01

He has not changed in all these years since, you just thought he had. The mask he wears has slipped yet again and what he is showing you is the nice/nasty cycle of abuse, that is a continuous cycle too.

This is not a communication issue either, your so called bf wants power and control over you because he is at heart abusive.

Your mistake here was going back to him in the first place. Raise your bar and ensure he is now an ex permanently. Men like this can and do damage boundaries. You would not tolerate this from a friend let alone a boyfriend. This is over and the only acceptable level of abuse in a relationship is none.

Calling · 02/06/2025 17:01

I did wonder whether it was the heat, the city, the crowds and tensions arising on holiday, but all the same, I saw red flags.
I should have looked out for him at the cafe more; I had got into a lovely conversation with the couple. Yes, I did wrong and I apologised to him.
We could've handled things better but I experienced him shouting at me, being dismissive, not comforting me when I had been crying and it has just blindsided me.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/06/2025 17:03

Never ignore or minimise red flags. He has not changed, this is who he really is. Be kind to yourself and raise your relationship bar a lot higher than it currently is. Don’t put up with shitty boyfriends. Get counselling if necessary and enrol yourself into the freedom programme.

ByBlueMoose · 02/06/2025 17:04

You both sound like hard work and shit at communicating.

The relationship clearly isn't working so end it.

Wednesdayisme · 02/06/2025 17:06

Has he always been like this? His reaction is a ott, I get he couldn't find you and was frustrated but to get angry. What will he be like in real stressful situations, doesn't sound good to me.

ZoggyStirdust · 02/06/2025 17:10

Both being a bit rubbish tbh. I see why he was annoyed and I see why you are.

EllieEllie25 · 02/06/2025 17:11

Dump dump dump. A holiday with a boyfriend is supposed to be fun, he made this one miserable. If you stay with him, you’ll have a lot more of these miserable moments where he blames you and shouts at you. Why would you choose that.

MorrisZapp · 02/06/2025 17:11

I get why he might have found the cafe examples irritating but to express anger over it is pathetic. I dare say he does plenty that annoys you, but I bet you don't explode or have a face like thunder over trivial shit.

gamerchick · 02/06/2025 17:12

Sounds like he was a prick because he's to much of a coward to end things so wants you to do it.

CoffeeFroth · 02/06/2025 17:16

Unless he has a very good reason for his behaviour and apologises I don't think your relationship will last. Why would you want to stay with someone who makes you unhappy?

NCtoavoidsniggering · 02/06/2025 17:19

I did have a holiday like this my ex shortly before we ended - turns out later she'd actually already checked out emotionally and at that stage was already on Tinder lining up alternatives…..
It could be he was just stressed and had some other random shit on his mind - but if so I’d be worried that he didn’t have the tools to deal with it better. It’s not a pattern I’d want to see repeated long term! As you don’t live close to each other - is this actually a relationship that only works well in small doses when things are all okay? Or are you strong enough to get through the crappy bits too? After this amount of time you should know if you think you can live together happily ever after.

Mistyglade · 02/06/2025 17:31

I can understand why he was irritated but his reaction was pretty horrible. You’re clearly not suited, dump. You’ll end up walking on eggshells al the time wondering when he’ll explode again.

category12 · 02/06/2025 17:37

There is a back story in that we went out many years ago and re-connected. Before we originally split up, things went pear-shaped and he was very unpleasant and I finished it. I keep thinking about that time and wonder whether this is the same, building up to leaving me, but he has really improved since then, until now.

Sounds like the mask is slipping and he hasn't really changed.

Have you been together 8 years solidly, or is that including the break?

Calling · 02/06/2025 17:48

We have been together again for 8 years and there was a long gap in between.

What stuns me is his behaviour to me. I wonder whether we have been getting on fine otherwise, discussing communication and things much better than we did, years ago.

It's like a Jekyll and Hyde man. Yes I can put it down to stuff, but not what he did to me.

OP posts:
Calling · 02/06/2025 17:50

Mistyglade · 02/06/2025 17:31

I can understand why he was irritated but his reaction was pretty horrible. You’re clearly not suited, dump. You’ll end up walking on eggshells al the time wondering when he’ll explode again.

Edited

I do fear that I will end up walking on eggshells.

OP posts:
Calling · 02/06/2025 17:55

NCtoavoidsniggering · 02/06/2025 17:19

I did have a holiday like this my ex shortly before we ended - turns out later she'd actually already checked out emotionally and at that stage was already on Tinder lining up alternatives…..
It could be he was just stressed and had some other random shit on his mind - but if so I’d be worried that he didn’t have the tools to deal with it better. It’s not a pattern I’d want to see repeated long term! As you don’t live close to each other - is this actually a relationship that only works well in small doses when things are all okay? Or are you strong enough to get through the crappy bits too? After this amount of time you should know if you think you can live together happily ever after.

Sorry that you had that nasty experience with your ex. I
Yes, I am worried that he doesn't have the tools to deal with it better.
And that we might only get on in small doses, not coping when in stressful situations - or in fact, when he reveals his character more?...

OP posts:
NCtoavoidsniggering · 02/06/2025 18:02

@Calling a friend recently split up with her partner because he’d gone off on one ridiculously at some poor girl in a travel agents. She said she’d seen he had that anger and nastiness in him, she wasn’t going to wait for it coming out at home with her and her kids. Hmmmm if he’s got it in him?

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