Yes, it's Valentine's Day once again, that special time of year when couples across the land get to act all lovey-dovey and rub it in the collective face of singles everywhere. Fret not, friends, the rest of the year belongs to us! Anyway, I considered posting something nice for today, or not posting anything at all, but it just wasn't in my character, so instead, I will be relating my latest story of heartbreak for you all. So, if you're one of those 'in love with love' people, you'd better go someplace else and celebrate the power of the human heart or some such crap like that.
This story is actually fairly fresh, (a few months ago now) though I'm mostly over it now. As I mentioned before, there have only been three women in my life worth mentioning, so this is all about Three Point One. (Number Four is yet to be discovered) One of the unusual things about all this is that she contacted me first. She noticed that I'd looked at her profile (only to get a closer look because I thought she had weird looking eyes) and she seemed to like me. Things got off to a good start, and soon we were Facebook friends and emailing each other almost daily. I do my best to hang onto those memories. Three Point One told me some really nice things at first, and I think in spite of all that happened, they were things that she really, honestly felt about me. I do my best to hold onto those things even after what she did to me.
Another thing that was a bit different about Three Point One was that she found sex to be a very important subject. She didn't want me to think she was slutty (which I didn't), but she wanted to make sure I was aware of what she wanted. As a fairly clean living guy, this put me into a strange position. I wasn't really bothered about it by any means, but it was something I was a little nervous about all the same. I told her so, and she seemed to be pretty good about the whole thing, and we kind of agreed to go at whatever pace felt right when the time came.
As I said before, things were going pretty well, and it developed to a point where we made plans to see each other. The tricky part was, Three Point One didn't have the usual ethnicity/religion/style my family would be used to. This meant that I had to have a few difficult, serious conversations with my family. One in particular was one of the toughest conversations I've had with a family member. Luckily, it actually went much better than I expected it to, and I thought everything was going to be awesome. Then I sent her an email telling her the good news. She didn't answer right away, so I decided to call her and surprise her that way. She didn't pick up and I was too nervous to leave a message, so I sent another email (this time a little more concerned) telling her that it was me who had called. No answer again.
I decided to wait a while, giving her time for whatever she was up to. At some point, I got tired of waiting, and checked her Facebook page only to find that I was no longer on her friends list. That was when I knew it was over. I sent a final email asking for some sort of explanation, but never got a response, so I eventually deleted her from my contacts. On top of all this, I had to explain to my family that the girl I'd met 'at work' would not be seeing me after all.
Since this was an internet based relationship, I probably shouldn't have gotten attached so quickly. This is probably one of my greatest faults. Considering my history, it's no wonder I always think it's the real thing, and I end up doing the same stupid things I did before. One of the worst things about it was that I never found out the reason. Ultimately, it wouldn't change much, but I really do want to know what her motives were. I'd like to think Three Point One was trying to spare my heart, because even in the face of all this, I'm sure she cared about me at some point, but in the end, she just ended up doing more damage. Some days, when I'm having a rough time of it, I think about trying to contact her just one more time, but then I realize how bad an idea that would be, and I stop myself. I think I'm mostly over it now, but it gets tough when someone builds you up only to hang you out to dry.
To Three Point One: in the unlikely event that you're reading this, you can talk to me again if you want, but I doubt you will. You had your chance with me, and whether you were trying to or not, you really hurt me, so you don't get another try. I don't like you anymore, but I still hope you're happy.
That's a familiar story. Many years of internet dating and I don't think I will ever get used to that treatment.
ReplyDeleteThat's terrible. I hate it when people don't give me explanations for why they stop talking to me... It's rude, and makes me question why I even try in the first place. Women like this give a bad name to the rest of us awesome ones.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to play devils advocate here, but if a guy told me he'd told his parents about me and we hadn't even met yet, I'd probably freak out. Then again I live in New York City where the dating scene is totally whack. Regardless, no excuse for anyone cutting someone out with no explanation, sorry dude.
ReplyDeleteI guess I didn't quite explain that clearly. Family was something very important to her, so if my family wasn't cool with her, she told me she was out, thus the difficult discussion.
ReplyDeleteThis is all too familiar story for me. I had several guys do that to me in college. Only one had been an online 'date', but the other two were new enough acquaintances that it was quite similar a circumstance.
ReplyDeleteThough my family did not find out about them.
Two of them pressured me into doing things I wasn't comfortable with, making me feel as if I was worthless if I didn't. Using their pull and knowledge of my low-self worth to get me to do things. And when I would not 'go all the way', I was dropped so fast and treated like I didn't exist. Given with one of them that we walked in the same social circle, being treated like you weren't even there was crushing.
The online one, I explained I needed time when he had co-erced me into getting a little 'frisky' with each other, and he told me I wasn't worth anything if I wasn't willing to have sex, and cut me out too. Since it turned out we were in the same program at school, it made going to school very difficult.
In the end however, that last one was what I needed to knock some sense into me, and to send myself on the mission of learning to be happy with just myself before I dated again. To be content being single without bitterness to the world, and without feeling like I needed to live up (or down) to someone elses standards.
I like that you posted a heartbreak(ish) story on Vday. :)
ReplyDeleteI hate the dry endings, and now that I come to think of it, I've actually experienced one very recently, and yes, I met him online. We actually even met up a handful of times and we'd spoke a lot about my reservations, his, and the hang-ups our potential-relationship would have.
I guess that's why I wasn't TOO surprised when he disappeared but then again, have the balls to speak up, and enough respect of the other person to give some sort of explanation.
I, myself, have sworn off Internet dating.
Lorraine
I've nearly sworn it off myself, but I have made a friend or two out of it, so I stick around for that, if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteWeird. Could be anything, dude. Make up a story that saves your self-esteem. Maybe she's being held for ransom by Somali pirates and wanted to protect you. Right?
ReplyDeleteAnd why have a big talk when you hadn't even met her yet? I would have saved that until you were dating a few weeks. Yes, family's important, but she was assuming a lot to force you into that conversation before meeting. Sounds like she was a controller. You don't need that.
And Lorraine- I hate "dry endings" too. (heh heh... Yes, I know I'm 12)
Not to plug, but I posted about my dad's 2nd grade Valentine's story, which is not only hilarious but also saddest in history. Check it out!
Caleb
http://calebshreves.blogspot.com