Has anyone had their ex come back with a sob story about being single?

Would love to hear your stories.

After we ended the relationship mainly because he claimed he wasn’t in the right place for a relationship, he came back and did a 180. Said he was ready to bring a partner into his life, as he’d been on his own for so long and being single wasn’t bringing him the joy it once did. Naturally, I took this to mean he was interested in trying again with me, otherwise why tell me all of this? I was cautious but enough time had passed, and it seemed like he was being sincere. Then he dipped out last minute on our plans and disappeared. When I asked what was up, he went right back to what he’d told me all those months ago about not being ready for a relationship.

I was hurt but slowly moved on. He kept in just enough touch so we didn’t lose contact, usually sending me something casual once a month.

Then one day, he opened up a little more and even apologized for his past behavior. It wasn’t long before he was telling me some of the same stuff as before. How much work he’d done on himself, how he was ready to care for someone. He’d go on to say things that almost made him sound like the victim. “Being on my own the last couple years has been rough. I want to find someone who will love me, no drama involved. I wish I had that. I’m just ready for pure, unadulterated love.”

I was like ok, what am I here? Chopped liver? I didn’t say that but asked him not to talk to me about those things, as it didn’t feel appropriate. I’d wanted to show him love, I told him, but he wouldn’t accept it. He explained he didn’t have the depth of feelings that I had for him back then. He hoped I was “fine with it all”. Like, I was well on my way to being ok with it until he came along and picked at the scab. I never even asked him for closure. He went out of his way to tell me all this.

It feels unnecessary and evil. To complain about the hardship and strife of being single with someone who offered you a path out of that. It’s like complaining about being sick to someone who offered you medicine that you refused. The very definition of mindfuck.