Our flirtation and pseudo-relationship was over when he informed me that he fully intended on proposing to his ex-girlfriend.
—Peg
Aftermath: Whatever we had lasted approximately 10 minutes after he informed me of this over breakfast. He did indeed propose to her, but that was over within 6 months. So glad I’m rid of him.
I was staring at a fork and seriously considered stabbing myself with it to end the date.
—Katy
Aftermath: He spent two hours talking about himself. He never asked me a question or expressed any interest in me except as someone who would listen to him. I made up an excuse that I needed to meet up with friends for a movie and never answered another email or phone call from Mr. Self-Centered again.
He got mad at me for turning down a job that would have required us to be physically separated. By an ocean. For a year. And we were married.
—Claire
Aftermath: Six months later, I had another overseas opportunity. He said he would take a leave of absence from his job and join me for 3 months. He didn’t. When I came back, I took a permanent leave of absence from him.
His mom tagged along on a date and I put up with it. After a bit, it became a ritual. He would also call his mom on the phone, no matter the time. The last straw was when my grandmother suddenly died. After the burial, he wouldn’t let me drive because I was “too emotionally unstable.” We went home to his house because he wanted to bring his 300-lb mother a sandwich. I had to call my dad to come get me.
—Matty
Aftermath: I dumped him via telephone and let him know what a pathetic momma’s boy he was. I eventually boosted up my self-esteem and moved away.
