AITAH for not taking my parents seriously?
Apologies for the copious amount of red flags in this post.
My ex and I are both from the same town, where I now live while he has moved across the country. We have known eachother for years and he was one of my closest friends for a time, until we started a long distance relationship two years ago. Said relationship ended a few months ago, due to mental health issues (he has depression and I have anxiety and that relationship was slowly making us both feel worse) and long-term incompatibility.
After a few months of no contact, I wished him a happy birthday. We got to talking, and the conversation was a nice one. We agreed we were better off as friends, so I suggested we meet up for coffee, since we were both in my hometown for a few days.
I mentioned it to my friends, and my parents. My friends told me it was a bad idea, because it might make us both suffer. Which I understand.
My parents...freaked out. They started screaming that it was a bad idea, that he would hurt me because he might still be in love with me and not handle rejection. That he's autistic (he's not diagnosed, but I suspect he is: the whole reason he ghosted me was that I said "perhaps it's better that we do not talk for a while" and he took me very literally) so he may not take nonverbal clues well, that he will not even care that we are in a coffee shop. That I'm leading him on.
So I negotiated. I asked him if he would be okay with just spending like one hour catching up close to my house (so my parents can see us), and he said yes. My parents were initially okay with this, but then changed their minds and started saying it would still be dangerous and that they would not let me out of the house (?), that 4 months is still too early to meet up and that I may be giving him ideas. And that, if I did give him ideas, he may not handle rejection well. That he's lonely and depressed, and that this is "a dangerous combination" and not to complain if we meet up and "something" happens to me.
For context, my ex has never been even remotely aggressive towards me or anyone.
And I'm honestly so annoyed, not even about this particular incident, but more regarding my perceived lack of judgement. I know you never really know someone, but it's insulting to suggest I haven't thought this through. I am 27 ( I am still saving up to move out and live in a country where it's normal to live with your parents well into your 30s), have lived in several different countries and met several different people and somehow survived unscathed. I don't know if I am being unreasonable for being upset.
I may not meet up with my ex anyway, but AITAH for feeling insulted?