system
A chat on subreddit /r/NoStupidQuestions
human
I think he was attempting to approach the subject of him being shorter than you in a  joking manner. Let's face it, it's still somewhat socially acceptable to shame short men, and he tried to address this early on with you to let you know that it doesn't bother him that there is a height difference. He was probably looking for reassurance from you that you  don't mind dating shorter men.  While it may sound like an insult to you,  I think it's actually a hidden self deprecating joke disguised as a compliment. 


No matter what his intentions were, all that matters is how he made you feel. You say that you often fall into the trap of the sunk cost fallacy, and that's something that we all struggle with until we have enough experience to know better than to waste our time. Next time, just say that you got a text from work or a friend and need to leave earlier than expected.
gpt
Honestly that makes sense, I thought he was saying he didn’t like me and I felt bad. I didn’t mind he was shorter so I didn’t understand why he brought it up but I know guys get picked on for their height so see why it could be sensitive