AITA for Startling My MIL and Possibly Giving Her a Heart Attack?
Ah, family visits – those treasured moments filled with love, joy, and sometimes just a dash of unexpected chaos. Imagine this scenario: You’re visiting your in-laws, you’re in blissful harmony, and then suddenly, you’re the villain of the story worthy of a ‘true crime’ documentary. Yes, dear readers, this tale is as real as your last Amazon impulse buy, straight from the quirky corridors of Reddit.
The Scene of the Crime
So, picture this: Our protagonist, a level-headed 27-year-old woman, is at her in-laws’ place with her husband. They’re staying in a serene, guest-ready bedroom complete with an en suite bathroom because, duh, they’re like royalty visiting the common folks.
After a delightful retail therapy session (one where she probably tried on more clothes than a runway model), she plops her freshly acquired treasures on a table near the bathroom door and heads for a much-deserved shower. So far, so good, right?
But, dear reader, little did she know that this ordinary routine was about to take a Hitchcockian twist!
Enter the Mother-in-Law (MIL)
Our MIL, a sprightly 56-year-old with the energy levels of a caffeinated teenager and the motherly instincts of a mama bear, decides she’s going to help out. But how? By attacking those pesky clothing tags, of course! Armed with a pair of scissors, she dives into the sacred pile of fresh purchases like it’s her volunteer mission to save the fabric world.
The Moment of Horror
Shower complete, our protagonist steps out feeling refreshed and delighted. And what does she see? Her MIL meticulously snipping away at the clothing tags like a ninja seamstress. Naturally, our girl wasn’t expecting this stealth mode operation to be happening. In a reaction as spontaneous as realizing you’ve hit reply-all in an email, she exclaims, “Hey! What are you doing??”
Well, let’s just say MIL’s reaction could give any horror movie scream queen a run for her money. She spins around, scissors in hand, and unleashes a scream that could probably reach the neighboring state. And then come the accusations: Our protagonist is suddenly the potential harbinger of a heart attack. Oh, the drama!
The Aftermath
Once the initial shock dissipates, the true crime scene analysis begins. MIL accuses her of genuinely threatening her life. She’s convinced that, given her age, a little shock could have easily turned into a code-red medical emergency. Meanwhile, our protagonist, still startled herself, tries to apologize and explain that her reaction was merely instinctual.
And then we get the voice of reason: her husband, who sides with her, understanding that his mother might be exaggerating just a wee bit. He gets that his wife was shocked, though he probably wishes his mom had actually warned them before transforming into the benevolent Tag Remover of the house.
So, AITA?
Let’s break it down with laser-like precision, shall we?
Firstly, who just walks into someone else’s guest room and starts chopping away at their newly bought clothes without so much as a “Hey, is it cool if I play Edward Scissorhands with your latest Zara haul?” I mean, talk about boundary issues. Sure, it was a sweet gesture, but imagine if you found someone trimming your plants without permission. Kind, yes, but definitely a bit presumptive.
Secondly, the woman had just stepped out of the shower! Besides, it’s not like she came out of a sauna with a chainsaw – a simple “Hey!” isn’t exactly the opening sequence of Psycho. If MIL’s heart was really that fragile, maybe she should stick to crochet rather than impromptu retail dissection.
Lastly, let’s acknowledge the epic overreaction here. Yes, being startled isn’t fun, but let’s not make it a life-or-death scenario. Our protagonist’s reaction was normal, human, and albeit a bit loud, absolutely justified. If anything, MIL owes her a thank-you for the excitement – she might have burned a calorie or two from the scare!
Roger’s Take
So, my delightful readers, was she the AH? Absolutely not! I mean, she could’ve made a gentle “ ta-da!” entrance, but where’s the fun in that? Her reaction was as natural as someone biting into ice cream and getting brain freeze. She’s just a gal, standing in front of scissors, asking why the fuss. Case closed.
Original story
My husband (27M) and I (27F) are visiting his parents. We are staying in a spare bedroom with an en suite bathroom.
His mother (56F) and I usually get along great until something that happened last night. We had just finished shopping for some new clothes.
I set them down on a table in our room that’s opposite to the door of our bathroom.
After I finished showering, I stepped outside and saw her handling our clothes with a pair of scissors. To be honest, I was pretty shocked by this.
I sort of went “Hey! What are you doing?
?” and she turned around and screamed.
She started accusing me of threatening her life, since something like this could have given her a heart attack.
As it turns out, she was removing the tags from our clothes for us. I apologized for scaring her, but I don’t think I was wrong for being shocked.
My husband understands her frustration but thinks she’s exaggerating. I’m aware of the possibility, but I don’t think there was any way I could have gotten her attention without her being startled by my presence.
Not to mention, the sound of the shower stopping and me opening the door. And while I appreciated the gesture, I also don’t think I was in the wrong for being taken aback by what I initially saw.
AITA?