Oh, gather round, my gossip-starved friends, for I have stumbled upon a tale so juicy, it makes the Forbidden Fruit look like a dry cracker. Picture this: a laid-back discussion on the grand stage of Reddit becomes the setting for a modern-day Shakespearean drama, complete with a daughter scorned, a father in the throes of post-midlife crisis, and a mysterious woman known only as ‘T’. Yes, you read that right, and no, this isn’t an episode of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’. This, dear readers, is a real Reddit story from a real person, and oh, do we have some thoughts! Remember, you’re here with Roger, serving you the Hot Take with a side of sass and wit. Buckle up; this ride’s about to get bumpy.
Our protagonist, a 38-year-old female phoenix rising from the ashes of her mom’s death and her parents’ failed marriage, finds herself entangled in a web of ‘what the heck’ when her semi-estranged father decides to re-enter the dating scene. But not just any scene – a secret society of ‘friends’ he parades around, only to be unmasked by former office interns at a party. Ah, the plot thickens quicker than my grandma’s gravy.
Enter ‘T’, the mystery woman with a penchant for leaving voicemails that could make a soap opera villain blush. Our heroine, not one to indulge in the unsolicited advances of her father’s girlfriend, responds with a cold shoulder that could freeze the sun. And oh, does it escalate when ‘T’ tries to morph into a modern-day Cinderella, texting photos and besieging our lead with communications unsought, making a play for the title of ‘Queen of the Family Farm’.
But the cherry on this scandalous sundae? Dad’s master plan to arrange a meeting at a nice restaurant, topped with a dollop of expectation for an apology – from his daughter to T. for, dare we say, being ‘rude’. Because, in this Shakespearean comedy, it seems manners maketh the man, or in this case, the woman.
Yes, our protagonist admits to perhaps sounding immature, but folks, isn’t there something decidedly off about being forced into the welcoming arms of a stranger you didn’t ask to meet? Especially when said stranger seems more interested in playing house with your familial memories than respecting your need for space.
So, here we stand, at the crossroads of familial duty and personal sanity, and what, you may ask, is Roger’s Hot Take? Simply this: Navigating the murky waters of post-parental dating requires a compass set on mutual respect and open communication. Our protagonist is not the villain for wanting to steer her own ship, nor is she obligated to board others’ vessels without consent. The real asshole move? Forcing someone to walk the plank into emotional waters they’re not ready to sail.
In conclusion, while life often writes scripts we couldn’t fathom, it’s our right, nay, our duty, to choose how we play our roles within them. And sometimes, that means saying ‘no’ to meeting Dad’s new flame, especially if the heat’s just too much to handle. Remember, just because you’re related, doesn’t mean you have to relate. Till next time, keep your wit sharp and your takes hot. Roger out.
Original story
Quick ask and/or advice. 38F here. Mom died 4 years ago, parents’ marriage was basically all but officially over so no love lost, and dad long disengaged from the relationship.
Since 2021 he’s been seeing different women, calling them “friends” to avoid me finding out about them. I found this out recently because at a party here in my new city I met some former interns from his office who told me “yeah you know he’s been seeing J, then P, but he seems serious about this T one” and were stunned I didn’t know. I played it cool and let them describe the situation. Soon after, the same T woman called me (dad gave her my number), and left a voicemail for me to “call me back baby, bye!” I never did. She then texted me several texts, including photos of them together on a date and her inside the family farm admiring the place. I didn’t respond. Finally on superbowl, dad says “here you wanna talk to my friend?” and I said fine thinking it was a guy. It was T; so I just asked her “why are you harassing me with calls/texts/voicemails?” She refused to really answer, stammering like “i uh, I don’t do voicemails” so I texted her the voicemail transcript, and blocked her after she didn’t respond within 3 days.
So I’m going home soon, and one of the first things dad says is “oh good I want you to meet this woman I’m seeing, maybe nice restaurant. And you can behave, maybe even apologize to her when you were on the phone she said you were rude. ” and I just said “mmhmm whatever” and he dropped it.
Yes I probably sound immature. My thing is to me it’s disrespectful to not say “I am dating now for a permanent partner” instead of doing it (I lived at home after mom died so there were times I was stuck with the animals while he was off having fun) and then having this T woman happily serve as the introduction person. I want nothing to do with her; as far as I feel they can do what they want but quit trying to bother me and meet me. AITA?