Ask Amy: Back tattoo spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E
Dear Amy: Four months ago, I started dating a guy. We clicked really well.
We live three hours apart, so our relationship was mostly played out through texting and emails. We had so much fun getting to know each other, but I started to see little red flags: He’d get very angry if I didn’t text him frequently, he seemed possessive, and he was pressuring me to push the relationship along faster than I wanted.
Because of this, I broke up with him. At first, he did not take it well and said a few hurtful things. After a few weeks he asked if we could be friends and keep in touch via text.
Since I did enjoy the texting banter, I agreed but made it clear that we are just friends.
He has asked several times if I would forgive him and move to an intimate relationship with him. Again, I told him that I was not interested in that but hoped that we could stay friends.
Amy, he just sent me a picture of his new tattoo. The tattoo is my name (with hearts) on his back!
I vacillate between being furious and just shrugging it off.
I have two questions for you. Can you offer any insight on what would make a man do such a ridiculous thing? After breaking up with someone, it is even possible to remain friends, or must I just always make a clean break?
— Don’t Ink My Name
Dear Don’t Ink: I find myself hoping that this is a photoshop prank of some kind. Regardless, a man would only do this sort of ridiculous thing in order to manipulate and control you.
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