When I think back on the ways in which I’ve been rejected, they typically range from “that was a bummer” to “meh, fair enough.”
Which I guess makes me very lucky, especially by comparison to the tales of woe in this thread on Reddit.
What is the worst possible way to be rejected?
by inAskReddit
We’re all checking in at the heartbreak hotel tonight, folks.
1. The ex arrives
I went to a bar with a girl that I had met at work once. We had really hit it off from day one and so we had decided to go get drinks, but the whole day she was just…off. Like, she wasn’t rude or anything, she was just acting weird. When we got to the bar we basically sat in awkward silence until- who would have guessed it- her ex shows up.
He comes over to the table, introduces himself to me and then starts talking to the girl and she immediately stops acting weird. And then he left. And then she started acting weird again.
Eventually, she excuses herself to go to the bathroom. She was gone for a while, so I turn around in my seat and look toward the bathroom and there she is, sitting in her ex’s lap, making out with him.
– unusualinsomniac
2. The laughter
In middle school my friend wrote a letter to his crush asking her to a dance.
Dropped it on her desk and then left because he was nervous.
As we walked outside we watched her through the window reading it, laughing, and then getting a bunch of her friends to come over and they read it together laughing their a**es off.
– wooztheweb
3. The crazy tunnel to crazy town
I knew a girl once. She had a crush on me since we were 8. I was home from college and ran into her.
We chatted a bit and then she started crying and telling me how she always liked me but I always ignored her. We did talk quite a bit throughout our school years, but she never mentioned being interested in me.
So I asked her out right there, and she said no and went down the crazy tunnel to crazy town about how I was only asking her out to have s** with her. It was weird. Glad I dodged that bullet.
– Spider-Ian
4. Preemptive strike
Preemptive rejection. I’ve had it happen a couple times. Both times were with women/girls who were part of a circle of friends.
I never showed any interest in either, but, somehow, they both felt the need to say, out of the blue, “I’ll never sleep with you”.
It’s all good – things evened out.
– Squigglepig52
5. The secret apology
My son is in second grade.
Earlier this week he asked a girl out and she said “NOOOO!!” and her friends laughed and said “REJECTED!”
I felt bad for my little guy, but I told him to keep his head up.
The next day she wrote my son a card telling him he was brave and asked if they could still be friends.
– jred250
6. The note
In 6th grade, a very overweight and shy gal wrote my older popular brother, an 8th grader, a love note. We congregated in the gym before first bell, with grades separated. 6th graders were opposite the side of 8th graders. She was sitting directly opposite of him on the first row, he was on his first row. I watched as he took the note out, then ripped it apart and dropped it on the ground, all while staring directly at her.
This gal continued to mildly stalk my family, and in high school told everyone her and I were dating. I never spoke to her once in my life.
– amu_munchauzen
7. Parental rejection
I was the first in my family to graduate college and was incredibly proud of myself for making it despite my limited resources and having to work my way through school. My father told me he wouldn’t come to my graduation. Said it really wasn’t that big of a deal.
I still remember the phone call and just sitting in the grass in the common area sobbing while people walked past.
Rejection by a parent is something I don’t wish on anyone.
– catchmeatthebar
8. The jazz club stranger
I went on a first date with a girl.
We had a nice dinner and really seemed to be hitting it off. We decided to visit a jazz club after dinner.
Some guy started flirting with her when she was on her way to the ladies room. It continued when she was on her way back. Dude then posted up nearby and just kept looking at her and winking at her while she was sitting at the table with me.
She excused herself and went over and started talking to the guy. I was hopeful that it was a “What the f**k is your problem, dude?” conversation. But no. Soon they were laughing and joking and exchanging numbers.
When I decided to call it a night, she thanked me for dinner and said she was going to hang out a bit longer.
– DickySchmidt33
9. The stand up routine
Getting stood up.
Sitting at a bar alone, all dressed up, waiting for him to arrive.
He never showed
Maybe he saw me and was disappointed and left?
Maybe he just ghosted for no reason?
Who know but it was humiliating.
– Dive-kite-cat
10. Religious hypocrisy
My first boyfriend in high school told me I wasn’t religious enough to date him and broke up with me. He did this after church before we left the building.
Pulled me aside in a conference room like we were having an evaluation meeting.A few months later, he was sent home from a school trip for having sex in the bathroom.
My first thought: I guess she was “religious enough” for him.
– Crafty-Arachnid6824
11. Eewww
I was in middle school and these group of girls convinced me to ask out a guy I like because they said he liked me back. They helped me get all dressed up and look nice. Then at lunch time, they brought me to him and as they stood around and watched me, before I could even say anything the guy completely rejected me in front of everyone.
And everyone started laughing at me. One of the girls said out loud, “ewww why would he ever like you, no one does”.
Middle school was not a pleasant time for me.
– projectglue
12. Cruelty is the point
Anything making it personal really.
We talk about lack of empathy but it seems the opposite.
If you didn’t care what the other person felt your rejection would be boring if you want to enjoy the fact that you caused them pain you make it personal.
– n_eats_n
13. But still, ouch
Dude I know knocked up his girlfriend that he had only known for three months.
He was a real loser with none of his crap together, but he still impulsively asked her to marry him.
She bluntly told him she was getting an abortion, and she never wanted to see him again.
Obviously she was right, but still, ouch
– Brocky70
14. Absolutely vicious
I went to a club with my friends and this guy came over to our group to ask my friend’s cousin if she wanted to dance. She yelled “OMG! EW! NOOOO” loudly and put her hand up to block him.
It was the most vicious rejection I’ve ever seen to a guy who was being super nice about it. I already have a hard time approaching girls and that s**t always plays in my mind to this day when I’m trying to get myself to talk to a girl.
– Thaichi23
15. OOF
A friend from work. Hanging out for a year or so. One night something happened and it was unbelievable. Next morning she says, ‘Well, we’re not going to do THAT again”. OOF.
Happy ending – Hung out as friend for another year. Then she moved 100 miles away. Couple of months later she invited me to visit to go to Disneyland with her and her sister’s kids. I was basically the ‘dad’ to help with the two boys. Of course I went.
After that, started visiting her every couple of weeks. Finally one night ‘it’ happened again. And here is the obligatory — We’ve been married for 21 years now.
– GodNamedBob
I guess not all rejections are created equal?
What’s the worst rejection you’ve ever received?
Tell us in the comments.