Hello, dear readers! Roger here, bringing another scorching hot take from the depths of the internet abyss to illuminate your day. And oh boy, do we have a juicy one straight from a real person’s life on Reddit. So, grab your popcorn and settle in as we dive into the drama of a man who found out that no good deed goes unpunished, especially when dealing with in-laws who wouldn’t know family if it fixed their stairs for them.
Our protagonist, let’s call him Handyman Henry (because who doesn’t love a bit of alliteration?), married into a family that could easily star in their own soap opera—minus the charming parts. Picture this: Henry, who grew up in the foster system, yearning for a family connection, marries his sweetheart, Jessica. Sounds like the beginning of a feel-good story, right? Wrong. Enter the in-laws, who treat Henry like he’s a background character in his own life.
Despite not receiving the warm family welcome he hoped for, Henry doesn’t let this deter him. He becomes the go-to handyman for Jessica’s family, fixing their stairs, shelves, you name it—if it’s broken, Henry’s on it. But here’s the kicker: when they gather to feast after he’s been toiling away, they don’t even throw the man a breadcrumb! Their excuse? They ‘didn’t think he’d want to eat after working so hard.’ Please pause for a collective eye roll.
It’s clear to Henry (and to anyone reading this tale) that Jessica’s family views him as useful, not as part of the family. The final straw breaks when, after being snubbed yet again, Henry puts down his metaphorical hammer and declares, ‘never again.’ And can we really blame him? His in-laws’ response? ‘Family helps family.’ Oh, the irony. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so painfully oblivious.
Now, dear readers, it’s time for **Roger’s Hot Take**: Henry, you’re not the antagonist in this drama-filled novella. Being family isn’t about sharing DNA or fixing staircases; it’s about mutual respect, love, and support. And let’s not forget the basic hospitality of offering a sandwich to the man who’s been repairing your home all day. Henry’s in-laws missed the memo on what it means to be family, treating him like an outsider, except when they needed his handyman skills.
So, what’s the big takeaway from all this? Never underestimate your worth, dear readers. Just like Henry, you have the right to expect respect and kindness, especially from those who claim to be ‘family.’ And if they can’t see that, well, maybe it’s time to let them figure out how to fix their own stairs.
Until next time, keep your hammers high and your expectations higher. This has been Roger, signing off with a reminder: don’t let anyone treat you like a background character in your own story. Toodles!
Original story
I (34m) got married 9 years ago to my wife Jessica (33f). Jessica and I have two children Robyn (7f) and Theo (5m). Growing up I didn’t have a family. I was a foster kid who was bounced around a lot because sometimes my bio mother would take me back but she’d always end up losing custody again or placing me back. When she finally stopped trying I was 11 and too old for most people who wanted babies or really little kids. So I aged out of the system without being adopted or finding a family.
I had hoped when Jessica and I met that I’d be welcomed by her family. But that’s not how it went. Took me years to figure it out though. They look down on me. They’re not totally obvious about it but I see it in the way they are with me vs the way they’re with the other sons/daughters in law. Like asking them about Christmas plans but saying they didn’t expect us to do anything else because I don’t have a family. Or asking about the others jobs and promotions but never me, then acting so shocked both times Jessica or I mentioned I was promoted. There was a time when my SIL mentioned a foster kid who won a scholarship to college and it made it into the local news. The whole family’s reaction was “oh wow a foster kid making it to college is so unexpected” and Jessica pointed out I went to college. They looked a little uncomfortable and I heard two of her siblings whisper something about “Jessica and that story” so I assume they believed she lied about where we met.
They don’t make an effort for my birthday. They make assumptions that I don’t spend time with my kids. They assume any effort made by me is me doing it for Jessica and don’t believe me when I say it’s not.
Yet they will always ask for my help with repairs around the house or assembling something, because I’m good at that stuff. I have helped Jessica’s parents and all her siblings at least twice. Once I realized (with help from therapy) that they really didn’t like me and seem to think less of me for being a foster kid, I did that stuff for Jessica and not for them. But then a few weeks ago Jessica’s parents had issues with the stairs. I went and fixed them up. I was hours working on one part and had to go and get extra materials. It was a whole thing. Some of the family came over while I was there and Jessica’s parents made food for them… but nothing for me. When I asked them if there was any for me they told me they didn’t think I’d want to eat after working so hard… for hours… with no food in between. I told them they didn’t think that, they simply didn’t want to be polite to me and offer food after doing all that work for them. I was called out by Jessica’s parents and her siblings. Jessica took my side as did some of the the siblings spouses. But I was called out again for not helping fix a shelf for one of Jessica’s sisters and saying never again would I help any of them. They said family helps family. I asked them when they ever treat me like family.
AITA?