Greetings, fellow Internet connoisseurs, it’s your favorite dispenser of spicy takes and cheeky commentary, Roger, coming at you from the fabulous HotTakes blog. Buckle up, buttercups, because have I stumbled upon a Reddit odyssey that screams, ‘Good intentions, terrible execution,’ louder than a vegan at a barbecue. This is a real story from a real person, and if it doesn’t make you rethink surprise getaways, nothing will. Let’s dive into this campfire catastrophe without further ado, shall we?
Imagine, darlings, the scene: a couple at loggerheads, bickering over every little thing imaginable, from who left the toilet seat up to the existential purpose of garden gnomes (I’m assuming). Our heroine, a 28-year-old beacon of patience, finds herself whisked away by her well-meaning but seemingly clueless 27-year-old husband on a surprise ‘romantic retreat’ that makes you question whether he’s ever met her before. The grand gesture? A cramped trailer in the haunting expanses of West Virginia, poised to host a couple’s retreat for two. Spoiler alert: she hates camping.
The pièce de résistance? Her outfit, meticulously chosen for a fancy dinner, now a comical mismatch for the muddy embrace of mother nature. Imagine, if you will, the horror of teetering in heels amidst the wilderness, a fashionably tragic twist that not even Vogue could have anticipated. The cherry on top of this disastrous sundae was the dear husband packing essentials for himself alone, leaving our damsel distressingly underprepared.
The Reddit sphere, being the hotbed of moral arbitration that it is, was posed the question: ‘AITA for not appreciating the surprise getaway my husband planned?’ But before we side with our woodland wanderer or her bewildering beau, let’s consider a few things, shall we?
Firstly, communication, my loves, is the cornerstone of any thriving relationship. Our intrepid adventurer seemingly tossed his compass out the window, opting instead for a ‘surprise’ that was geared more towards his own interests than those of his partner. A lesson in romance, this was not. A lesson in how not to surprise your significant other? Absolutely.
And yet, amidst the chaos of this poorly planned escapade, one cannot help but admire the intention, albeit misguided, to reignite the spark in their relationship. The effort, misplaced as it was, speaks volumes to the desire to break free from the monotony of couple’s quarrels and find solace in each other’s company – albeit in a cramped, claustrophobia-inducing trailer.
So, where does this leave our beleaguered couple? And more importantly, where does it leave us, the popcorn-munching audience, eagerly awaiting Roger’s Hot Take? Fear not, for I shall not leave you in suspense.
Here’s the skinny: relationships are about knowing and understanding each other, yes, but they’re also about growth, compromise, and sometimes, surviving the occasional wilderness misadventure. Our dear husband, bless his heart, missed the mark by a country mile, but let’s not cast him off into the woods just yet. After all, love is about navigating the rough terrain together, even if one of you is absurdly overdressed for the occasion.
In conclusion, while our woodland heroine is certainly not the asshole for craving a romantic escapade that doesn’t involve foraging for berries in a ballgown, let’s give a slow, sympathetic clap for a husband who tried to fan the flames of love but only managed to start a forest fire. May their next adventure be in a locale where the dress code is strictly enforced, and the accommodations are less reminiscent of a sardine tin.
Until next time, stay sassy, stay classy, and remember: if the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, make sure you’re not serving them s’mores when they’ve politely declined. Ciao, darlings, Roger out.
Original story
For the past month, my husband (27 M) and I (28 F) have been in a rut. We’ve been arguing about so many trivial things. Last week, he randomly asked me if I liked eating s’mores. I said I don’t care for them and rarely do I ever crave them. He then asked me what I thought of cabins and camping. I told him I don’t care for either to be honest and the only way I would go camping is if it was a glamping experience. He nodded and said noted.
Today he tells me to be ready and dressed by 4 pm because we have a date planned. I put on a cute outfit because all he told me was we have a special date planned. Any other time he’s said that, the date usually involves us going out to a fancy restaurant. So I put on a skirt, some heels, and a top. He sees my outfit, doesn’t say anything. The only thing I noticed that was odd was that he brought his backpack with him. I asked him why, and he said that he just wanted to put his hoodie somewhere in case it got cold later.
We get into the car and 20 minutes into the drive I ask him how far is the restaurant we’re going to. He smiles and says, “about an hour”. I pull up my phone and start responding to some work emails to kill time. And then when we arrived to our destination I honestly got so upset. It was a super tiny trailer in the middle of the West Virginia woods. There was a small picnic table outside and just woods. I ask him what we were doing there and he turns to me and says, “surprise! we’re having a couple’s retreat. Do you like it?” I walk inside the trailer and mind you, my husband knows I am extremely claustrophobic. There is no room inside this trailer. I start panicking because a. I need physical space b. I’m in HEELS AND A SKIRT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS c. HE PACKED PJS, his toothbrush, AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHES BUT DIDNT THINK TO TELL ME ID BE NEEDING ANYTHING FOR THIS DATE.
At that point I just blatantly ask him, “have I ever expressed any interest in camping to you?” He said, “no.” And then I followed up with, “you know how much I hate small spaces, what made you think I’d enjoy this, I just really want to understand?” He didn’t say anything. I told him I appreciated the gesture but I could not for the life of me figure out how he thought planning this in the way he did was going to help get us out of a rut.
This isn’t the first time he’s planned something for me that I hated. And the worst thing, I’ve told him before if I’ve never expressed interest in something to please not gift it to me or plan a date around it. I do a very good job at giving him extremely thoughtful gifts and planning him very thoughtful dates/experiences. And today I told him that it just seems like there isn’t any consideration for me in that regard. Am I the asshole for reacting the way that I did?