9/25/2010

Define "Time Off"

Submitted by Elisa:

Last summer, my boyfriend and I were taking some time apart when an old high school friend of mine came into the picture. 

Aaron and I moved in the same circles in high school and he and I were good friends.  After graduation, we grew apart, but he was in touch every year on my birthday and we hung out once or twice in the ensuing years.

He called me out of the blue and we had a good talk.  He asked me how my boyfriend was, and I told him that we were taking some time off.  Aaron then asked if I wanted to hang out over dinner.  It had been a while since I had seen him, and we always had a good time, so I agreed.

Aaron insisted on paying for dinner and even walked me to my door afterward.  It was a very sweet gesture and I thanked him.

A couple of days later, Aaron called again and asked if I wanted to do breakfast.  I liked the idea, and imagine my surprise when he arrived at my door, having already made a homemade hot breakfast!  Eggs, toast, and even bacon!

While we ate breakfast, he asked me out to dinner again later that week.  I was so glad to have him back in my life, and it was great to have such a good friend to help take my mind off of my boyfriend's depression.

That Saturday night, we did a light dinner followed by a walk in a local park.  We sat down on a bench, and it was then that Aaron tried to kiss me!

I pulled away from him.  He asked what was wrong and I reminded him that I had a boyfriend.  Turns out, he was just confused and thought that "time off" meant "broken up."

I told him that I hoped we could be friends, and he said the same thing.  I haven't heard from him from that day to this.  Sad.

24 comments:

  1. It wasn't obvious from the beginning that this guy was into you as a more-than-friend? His bad, perhaps, for not figuring out what you meant by "taking time off," but your bad for being this oblivious.

    And another thing: when was the last time that your boyfriend made you a hot breakfast at your doorstep?

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  2. ^ I agree. He wanted to be more then friends. He may have made an even better boyfriend then your old boyfriend. You were just blind to the real deal in this new guy just because you "Had a boyfriend"

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  3. It was SO obvious that this guy was into you, that I was kinda expecting you to tell us otherwise, just to turn the story around and don't make it so predictable... my bad, I guess.

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  4. ^Darn right.

    Don't come back until your life becomes less predictable.

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  5. The only thing that's sad is that you felt that it was his job, over the course of watching you accept numerous free meals, to figure out that you were not interested.

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  6. As far as I'm concerned, "time off" is just a euphemism for "tentatively broken up".

    Seriously, you let this guy buy and cook food for you and couldn't have the decency to let him know you were interested? Doesn't the fact that he asked you out right after you told him you weren't with your boyfriend tell you anything, or do guys who are not your boyfriend often serve you a hot breakfast?

    You are either one of the slowest girls I have ever heard of, or you just like to use guys. No wonder your boyfriend wanted to get away from you.

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  7. *weren't interested

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  8. Note to the OP; when a man asks you out, he's after some ass.

    It's that simple.

    Don't let the food thing fool you. He was just being polite.

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  9. What the hell does "taking a break" mean if not that you can date other people? Having a boyfriend means you're in a relationship...taking a break means you are temporarily NOT in a relationship. Your friend didn't misunderstand, YOU did!

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    Replies
    1. I was wondering the same thing. But I've never understood the concept of taking a break from a relationship anyway.

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  10. Wow this was horrible. I feel like he should be writing on this site... not you

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  11. As a lady of some prior naiveté, even I must say this is exceptionally dumb. There is no way anyone could see you as the victim of a bad date here.

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  12. Why are girls so oblivious to leading guys on? Did you really think this guy wanted to be just friends? This is not a bad date, this is a guy who was unintentionally led on. I know you didn't intend to do that, but its what happened.

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    Replies
    1. Hey - take it easy! I'm a girl and I hate how she acted. I would never lead a guy on that way!

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  13. Yeeeah, OP, time off means temporarily broken up (as in you can date other people, which I'm sure your "real" boyfriend was doing at the time). Wow, just wow. And everything that Baku-chan said!

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  14. The only bad thing about this story is the op didn't leave the contact info for a nice, affectionate, intellegent, and single man that cooks.

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  15. Everything I wanted to say has already been said, so rather than rehash the (valid) hate-fest on the OP, I'll just ask her...are you and your boyfriend still together, or did your "time off" turn into a "we broke up because I stayed faithful to him and he fucked anything that moved"?

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  16. What I'm confused about is the phrase "my boyfriend's depression".

    As in, he was diagnosed with depression, and instead of sticking around to support him, there was time apart? I sincerely hope that is a typo.

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  17. Honey, when a guy cooks a meal for you, it's not to make sure you have more time and energy to take care of your depressed boyfriend.

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  18. ^^ I actually took that to mean that she was depressed over her boyfriend. At least I hope so.

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  19. I wonder if the boyfriend had the same idea about "time off"... Soon she'll hear "WE WERE ON A BREAK!"

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  20. ..............Just like a girl.

    "Well he did it for me without asking so it's not MY fault". Nigga please.

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  21. Sorry, lady, but you led him on. I'm a girl, and if I told a guy that my BF and I were taking a break, that would mean that we were broken up.

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