People Ask The Internet If They're Right Or Wrong

From /u/lasagnaproblems:

My girlfriend and I are both college students. She lives in an apartment by herself; I live with my parents.

Sunday, my girlfriend made homemade lasagna for our date night. She made all the noodles herself. It tasted really good. After we finished, I asked if I could take the lasagna home for my family. She agreed. I took the tray when I left that night. My girlfriend did not walk me out, so she did not see me take the tray.

Monday, my girlfriend texted asking where her lasagna was. I told her I took it home for my family. She said, "I thought you were taking some... not the whole thing. I used most of my food budget for the week on it, planning to eat leftovers. Now I don't know what to eat." I felt bad and apologized. I pointed out I asked if I could take it home, and she did not tell me I could not take the whole tray. She said it should have been clear I shouldn't take the whole thing because the tray was large. Fairly, it was a big tray (my family of five just finished it yesterday after eating it for dinner both nights), but the tray's size does not make it obvious I should not take it.

Monday night and last night, my girlfriend complained she had to eat instant noodles to keep her food budget intact. Today, she asks if I can buy her a sandwich since I took her leftovers. It is frustrating she spent her food budget on the lasagna, but I think she is at fault for not being clear I should not take the whole thing. I do not think she deserves my lunch because of this. She called me an a**hole for not helping her.

Am I the a**hole?

From a former Redditor:

She has breastfed for six months since the baby arrived and now wants to switch to formula. She produces plenty of milk; she just says she "feels done." If she stops for almost no reason, the formula money should come from her personal spending because she makes that choice. She called me an a**hole, and it should come from the family/grocery budget (which is already tight), even though I have no say.

Am I the a**hole?

From /u/ Resident_Occasion :

I am the VP of Sales for a software company. One of our sales development reps' parents died in a car crash in early April. The employee in question is a 22-year-old who joined us ten months ago. He is a good employee. We planned a promotion in about six months. This job pays about $90k with commission and base; we expect much from this role. Because of the accident, we gave him a one-month paid leave. He returned a few weeks ago, and his performance is very poor. He lacks motivation. He is not cold calling or reaching out to prospects for the last two to three weeks since returning. Our whole management team noticed this. We decided to fire him. We feel he needs months to produce again, and we cannot wait that long.

We called him into a meeting Friday afternoon. We gave him the bad news. He remained calm but was rude. He told us to go f*ck ourselves. He got up, took his things from his desk, and left. I found this very unprofessional and extremely rude.

I told my boyfriend about everything. He said my management team and I are a bunch of a**es and pr*cks with no hearts.

Am I an asshole for firing him?

From a formerRedditor:

I was with my ex for seven years. She had a two-year-old then. When we split, her daughter was nine. She called me dad quickly. We all lived together. I thought we would become a family through marriage later, but things did not work out. We split amicably, and we remain friends.

Her daughter is fourteen now and still calls me dad. My ex has not started dating again. I am engaged to my future wife. We all get along, but my fiancée dislikes that kid calls me dad. I am not her father, by blood or otherwise. I was a father figure for seven years, and I stayed involved in her life past that.

My fiancée wants me to stop this because it makes her uncomfortable. We plan to start our own family soon, and my fiancée wants my full attention on our child. I understand her point regarding the dad situation, though I do not care about the dad issue. If she calls me dad, I must agree to her wishes because I am not strongly against her thoughts.

I plan to meet with my ex and her daughter to separate our ties and focus on my own family. Will I be an asshole?

From /u/Man877717272:

My wife (29) and I (32) share cooking duties about fifty-fifty. We have no children, so we cook only for ourselves.

We use a system to plan our dinners a few days ahead. We both work full time and finish around 4:30, so knowing what we want is important for us.

Last week, I had a stomach virus and was still getting better. But the day I felt really sick, I ate a salad with a small burger and threw it all up. People often turn against food after throwing it up.

On Saturday, I warned my wife: no salad or burgers this week. She agreed. Today, we got home from work. I asked what we were eating since we were both undecided. She said she didn't know but would start cooking. I told her I would shower and then join them.

Exiting the shower, I smelled meat cooking. I went down and she had made hamburgers. I asked her, “Hey, I thought we agreed no burgers while I was sick?” She replied, “There’s nothing else to eat, so this is what we are having. Plus, you aren’t sick anymore.”

I sat silent while she cooked. When she gave me the plate, I stood up, threw it in the trash, and we started fighting. I yelled, “You did the exact opposite of what I told you not to do!” I kicked the trash can and then told her I was leaving to eat out. I slammed the door and drove away.

She texted me calling me rude. I ignored her and ate my meal outside.

Was I an idiot for doing that?

From /u/GimmeBigSteak:

My girlfriend (she is 27, I am 28) wants to visit this fancy new city restaurant she heard about. We got there; it felt like a hipster spot, but I was hungry.

I looked at the menu. This place charges a lot—every dish costs over $15-$20, and half the ingredients are unfamiliar. I ordered the bison steak ($26), and my girlfriend ordered some strange pasta, noki [sic], costing ($18).sicI think ($18). These items were listed as ENTREES on the menu. Drinks and a tip will push the total past $60, which is already too much for dinner for two.

We order because we are starving. My steak arrives. I am shocked. It is six small pieces of sliced steak with weird sauce on the side and a small handful of salad. I ask the waiter, “Where is the rest of my steak?” He explains they serve smaller portions because they focus on the highest quality ingredients. I do not care if this bison was blessed by the pope. Charging that much for such a small bit of steak is robbery. At restaurants, I expect an entree to fill me up and provide enough for leftovers.

I complain to my girlfriend. She gets annoyed. Her pasta was like twelve pieces of noki.sicThe food was decent, but I cannot accept how tiny these portions are. I am a big guy and I like to eat. What can I say?

The waiter returned. I told him we would not pay. I stated they falsely advertised entrees that were just light snacks. My girlfriend begged me to stop. I will not let businesses exploit me.

A manager came and apologized, then told us to leave. I did not pay because they realized I called out their mistake. My girlfriend stayed silent the whole way back. I was still hungry, so I got a burger at McDonald's. She asked to be dropped off at her place. Now, the next day, I question if I handled it right. I could have just asked for a discount. My girlfriend hasn't replied to my texts. I now think I am an asshole.

Am I an asshole?

/u/mixedwoes:

I have zero issue with interracial relationships. Now the air is clear. I will continue.

My daughter, Anna, started dating an African American man, Jamal. I am not exactly 'liberal,' but he is a nice young man. As long as Anna is happy, I am happy. Anna lacks awareness of her community. Her friends accept her relationship. However, some people talk in the community, and some privately expressed worries to me. I have no issue with mixed relationships and I have corrected them. I know how certain groups view these matters.

My parents plan to stay for a week. Anna wants to introduce Jamal to them now that things are serious. I told her clearly this will not happen. I accept Jamal, but they will not. They will not forget it, even if the relationship ends. They might even cut her off completely. Anna was very upset. She implied I am racist and care more about my parents' views than her feelings.

I know my parents. They do not accept mixed relationships. If Anna brings Jamal over as a friend, they will be furious at both her and me.

Anna is currently staying with Jamal and doesn't want to speak with me right now. My wife stands by me given she knows very well how my parents are (they had a problem with her for months over the length of the skirt she wore when I introduced her to them, for Christ's sake), but a close friend I confided in told me that I have behaved like an a** and that I needed to focus more on my daughter than pleasing my parents.

No advice needed. Have I been an asshole?

/u/aljsdhnrthrow:

I was shopping in a high-end department store. I stood near two teenage girls. One girl chose very expensive boots, and both girls admired them. The second girl looked at the price tag and asked the boot girl if she would really spend that much. The girl with the boots said, “It’s fine, I have my dad’s credit card; I’m not paying.” This caught my attention. I have told my son many times he cannot use my card. I wanted to see how this girl would handle fraud. I then separated from the girls because they found something else.

We ended up at the same register. I saw her total was over four digits. The girl was about to swipe her card. I stopped her. I could not let her get away with this. Someone must parent this kid if no one else will. I told the cashier it was not her card; it was her father’s, and I did not know if she had permission. The girl and her friend turned and glared at me. They gave me the dirtiest look I have ever seen. I thought this girl would throw a tantrum. I don't think she was ever told no.

The girl told the cashier her father gave her the card to shop with because it is the store's card and it gives him points. When I pointed out it was not hers, the cashier told her she could not use that card. The girl tried to show ID to prove they shared a last name. I told her it was still fraud. The girl claimed it was not fraud because she had permission and told me to mind my business. I told her that her illegal action required her to pay with her own card, or I would call the police. The girl became angry, and people glared at me. She used her own card and left crying. The cashier looked mad at me. I told my husband when I got home, but he agreed I was wrong.

Am I the jerk for telling the cashier?

From /u/my1972pony:

I begin here. I see on paper I am totally the jerk. But dig deeper into my reasons, and I hope it is a gray area. Maybe I did the right thing.

As a teenager, my dad bought me a classic 1972 Ford Bronco. It was my passion. I do not recall a memory from high school that did not involve that truck. My dad and I worked on it for hours. That Bronco brought us back together during a difficult time as a father and son. I made a big mistake. I sold the truck when I turned 19. My dad died of a heart attack two months later. Though not logical, I feel a karmic link between those two events.

I had a baby in early February. She is my first and my light. My wife is fine, but she returned to work. She hates all the daycares we tried. She wants to be a stay-at-home mom. She remains very hormonal from delivery, lack of sleep, and breastfeeding, causing her to be angry often. I need to state this.

Two weeks ago, I drove through our town's warehouse district. I saw a beat-up Bronco that looked like mine. I stopped just for nostalgia. The owner came out and let me look inside. My dad and I glued a wheat penny under the dash as security. I checked, and it was my Bronco!

I asked him to sell it. He said someone was on I-25 near Colorado to buy it for $21,000. I panicked. I asked him if I could buy it right then for $23,000. He said yes if I had the cash. I had $12,000 in savings from my wife's parents. I maxed out my credit card via Venmo. My mom bought a $4,000 check. I drove away in my old car. This felt like a dream. It is mine. I cannot afford the work now, but it is mine.

My wife and her parents are furious. They think I was deceptive. They feel a real man would sacrifice everything so my wife could stay home with his kids. That money was set aside for a college fund. My daughter is only six months old. We have eighteen years to set up a college fund for her. This Bronco means everything to me. Without that action, it would be gone forever. This connection to my kids is my happiness.

On paper, I was an asshole. The whole story is a grey area.

Am I an asshole?

/u/AwayPerformer:

I am a 31-year-old single man living alone in an apartment complex. I have lived there six years. My neighbor across the hall, a woman around my age or younger (I do not know her first name but I call her Katie), lives diagonally across the hall and has been there for about two years. We exchange hellos, but we are not friendly; this is how most of my neighbors are.

I do not know how to cook. Losing a part-time job means I have less money for takeout. I am sick of cheap fast food or box mac and cheese. I am gaining weight and I never feel good.

Katie's cooking smells amazing in the hall. I got the idea to pay her weekly to cook extra and bring the food to me at night, or I can pick it up.

I asked her the next time I saw her. She looked surprised and said she couldn't because she was busy, though she cooks almost daily. Later, I offered more money. She said she was sure, called it rude, and stated she is not a housekeeper.

She made me feel like a jerk and embarrassed to ask. I felt annoyed because she acted like I was creepy. Asking her to split cooking seemed reasonable since she cooks every day.

Am I the asshole?

/u/makeme_f4f_pdx:

My boyfriend has strict food restrictions. He only eats chicken fingers, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, and pad Thai. He never eats vegetables. We dated a few months; I love him, but I eat everything and am laid back. I must plan my whole day around finding food he can eat and listening to his complaints. Even if a restaurant has his food, it won't taste like home, and I don't want to hear about it on vacation. AITA? I feel bad.

EDIT: I am breaking up with him. Seeing my future through your answers showed me I cannot continue; it will end us.

From /u/Late4AnAppointment:

My wife and I have been married over ten years. We have several kids.

The sister-in-law and her husband had a baby two years ago. They have no big complaints; they just ask people to do things I think they should handle themselves.

They visit our house (an hour away). They ask if we have their kid's favorite crackers. I don't know why they don't pack the crackers; they have money.

If one of them leaves, they ask one of us (my wife or kids) to manage the baby, even if the other parent is present and just on their phone.

Whenever I speak to my wife, she says I am being too much.

During dinner at my MIL's house, the baby had a poopy diaper. My SIL looked at me and asked in a sweet voice, "Uncle (my name), can you change the diaper?" She asks often, but this time I was asked.

I replied politely, "No, I'm sorry, I don't do that."

"You don't do diapers??"

"No, I don't change other people's kids' diapers if their mom or dad is present. I will do it if I am babysitting, but if the parents are around, I think it is their job."

The SIL looked like she wanted to cry. "Well...I feel selfish."

I smiled to calm her. "Not trying to make you feel any way, just telling you a boundary is all."

The table got awkward as she got up and changed the diaper. Afterward, my wife blamed me for making the SIL feel bad, saying I could have just changed it.

I do not want anyone to feel bad. I have three kids and I always took responsibility. I watched them, packed for them, and changed them. I do not seek to be a secondary parent for this child.

From u/BinEinePloerre:

I am a German woman, born and raised in Germany. I was traveling in another country and stayed at a hostel; people from many countries were there. One woman from the US and we talked about random things. We touched on cars, and someone mentioned they planned to buy a Porsche.

The American woman tried to correct the guy, saying, "You know, that's wrong, it's actually pronounced (completely wrong way to pronounce it)." I chuckled and said, "No...he actually said it right." She snapped, "No no no, I'm GERMAN ok? I know how it's pronounced." I switched to German (I have a very natural New York accent, so maybe she missed I was German) and told her, "You know that's not how it's pronounced..."

She could not reply and said, "What?" I repeated in English, "I thought you said you were German..." She said, "I'm German but I don't speak the language." I asked if she was actually German or if her great great great grandparents were German, and she said the latter. I told her, "I don't think that counts as German, sorry, and he pronounced Porsche correctly."

She snapped, calling me an elitist and saying she was as German as I am. I did not want to escalate things, so I just said OK and talked to other people. Later, another guy told me she told others I was an asshole for "correcting her" and that I was "a damn n*zi trying to determine who's German or not."

Why did she react so much? Was telling her she was wrong actually so offensive?

From /u/1988M:

I am 40M, my wife is 39F, and we have a son in 15.

During dinner time yesterday, I called him down a few times. He did not answer. I figured he hadn't heard me. I went upstairs and knocked. He said he would come down soon. Fifteen minutes passed. He still did not come. I walked into his room. I knocked first. He was crying. I asked what was wrong, but he offered no reply. I did not push him further.

I went downstairs and told my wife. She went upstairs to talk to him, staying for half an hour. She returned and brought him food upstairs. When I asked her what happened, she said it was not important and told me to drop it. I got upset because I needed to know what was wrong; I am his parent.

I have not ignored them completely. I have acted distant since yesterday. My wife got angry, saying I acted immaturely.

Am I an asshole?

From /u/escaperoomdisaster:

My fiancé, Becca, loves escape rooms. She is very good at them. When my friend started an escape room business, he hired Becca to consult. His business is a hit.

He recently started an "Escape Van" service, which functions like a rolling party van/escape room. He asked if Becca wanted to try it. I wanted to, since her birthday was yesterday; we should surprise her. He agreed. Things got risky here.

We saw John Wick. Leaving, Beggy and I agreed his van would wait outside. They would toss us in to try the escape puzzle on the way to his business. One employee got rough with me, and I yelped as he tossed me into the van. Becca lost it. The guide started, "You are now captives of the XXX Co. Escape van; to get out, you will need to solve five consecutive puzzles..." Becca missed all that; she just sobbed. Starting the roll made it worse. We hit a stop sign in the movie theater lot. Becca shoved the guy aside, opened the van door, and went to Dave and Busters next door. She dropped her phone in the street, picked it up, and screamed, "Run, you f*cking idiot!" Dave and Busters security called 911. Cop cars arrived in two minutes. We took five minutes to sort things. The cops yelled at me and Beggy, who drove the van, calling it the stupidest thing he ever heard, saying he was lucky it was Saturday and they would not have time for us.

Becca is furious with me. She hasn't spoken to me except to say she slept on the couch. She has given me the cold shoulder all morning. She is never this mad and will not speak to me even if I ask her what is wrong.

I had a good idea, but the execution failed. Was I the jerk?

From Redditor u/MkUrF8:

I have been married to my wife for eight years. We have a good relationship overall. She has four kids—two daughters and two sons, ages 11 to 16—from a past relationship. I have one son who is ten. I have treated her kids like my own since the start and I try my best to support the family. Financially, it is a big burden, but I am happy to handle it. We live in a five-bedroom house. Each of her daughters has her own room, her oldest son has his own, and her youngest son shares a room with my son.

The main problem tearing me apart is how she treats my son. She barely acknowledges him; she rarely asks how he is doing and acts like he is invisible. Tonight, it reached a breaking point. We celebrated her daughter’s 11th birthday, and everyone gathered to sing and take pictures. I told my son to join the group for a photo; that seemed fine. But after the group picture, my wife looked at my son and said,“Get out of the picture, move to the side—I want one with just my kids.”

My heart broke in that moment. I completely lost control. I told her we are a blended family and that my son deserves to be treated like one of hers. I feel she draws lines between her kids and my son, and that feels wrong to me.

For context, my son’s biological mother died two years ago from Covid complications, though she had drug problems that may have made things worse. My son only has my wife as a mother figure now. I fear this rejection from her will deeply hurt him and cause mental damage.

Am I asking too much for her to include him as part of the family? I do not want to overreact, but watching her ignore him hurts. AITA for expecting her to step up and include him?

From /u/waltzingaway78:

I have been a single mom to two children since they were six and four because their dad died. Around that time, my son received an autism diagnosis. He does not speak much and has physical outbursts during meltdowns. He has been in every type of therapy his whole life, and it has helped a bit.

Their dad had a life insurance policy that let me stay home as my son’s main caregiver while I worked freelance, but money was tight, and finding someone to watch him has always been hard.

My daughter graduated from college last year. A week before the ceremony, she had an awards ceremony for academic achievement. I was very proud of her. She asked me to come, and I said I would.

Her college sits two hours away. I hired a sitter specializing in autism for the ceremony day. As I left, my son had a meltdown and lashed out at the sitter. I could not leave; he stayed upset for hours. I left my daughter a voicemail stating I could not attend.

She called back that night furious. She called me a bad mother. She said I cared only for one child, ignoring every game and performance she had as a child. She stated this would not change as adults, and she was done. She knows he cannot help his son, but her brother lacks empathy. Being around him made me resent him. She hung up, and that was the end. I have spoken little with her since. She did not send tickets for the graduation we planned for the next week. She has missed holidays and did not call to say she was engaged. She cut us out. In one of three times we talked since she said it was easier not to be disappointed and being alone at events is normal for her, she does not need to hope I will come now.

Am I an idiot? I offered family counseling and other help. I know I was not a perfect mother growing up; I did not achieve everything she wanted, but I cared. I am heartbroken, but I do not think not showing up in an emergency should have cost me my daughter forever.

A formerA Redditor:

We got married.Last month, we fought often. I wanted my husband to help more with planning, but he only half-heartedly agreed despite me stressing how important it was. He kept saying he did not want a big wedding, so if I wanted one, I could not force him to study wedding magazines or go to expos with me every weekend.

We hosted a large party with over 250 people. My parents paid for 80% because his parents were also slow with their money. Nearly 90% of people from my family came as guests.

Now we sort wedding gifts. We received nearly $10,000 in cash gifts. My husband and I have separate finances. I want to keep the full $10,000 because 1) he did not help, 2) his parents did not help, and 3) the people giving money were all my family.

I told him I am keeping all the money in my account. He got angry, calling me a princess. My parents back this move, but my siblings tell me to split the money. They suggest giving him some share, maybe not 50-50. Am I a jerk if I do not want to?

From /u/You gotta stop that.:

I have waited tables for three years.

During my shift last night, four women in their late twenties arrived. They were good customers. They ordered four of our house cocktails first, then looked over the menu for their main courses.

Walking back to their booth with drinks on a tray, I passed the back and heard one person talk about being 14 weeks pregnant. Rounding back, I heard them discussing the same thing; I knew she was pregnant. I thought one drink was fine. They ordered entrees, and I went to serve other tables.

About five minutes later, they called me over for another round. I started getting worried, but I took the order and cheerfully said I would return. I went to the bartender and asked him to make one of them a virgin cocktail. He looked confused, but since he is a good friend, I told him to trust me.

A few cocktails later, they got rowdy, and the pregnant woman joined in. I thought things were fine since she didn't notice. The issue arose when I brought their check; they asked to split the bill at the register. When the pregnant woman reached the counter, I saw her drinks marked (virgin). My bartender had edited each one in the system for inventory.

I could not edit them back in time, so I had her pay, hoping she would not look at the receipt. They all thanked me and left, leaving a generous tip. They talked in the parking lot for a short time, probably waiting for an Uber.

Several minutes later, the pregnant woman returned and asked what (virgin) on the receipt meant. I admitted it meant non-alcoholic. She stared at me for a few seconds, then asked if she had ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail. I said no but assumed she wanted one because she was pregnant. That was a weak lie, but she looked me in the eye and asked me to give her back her part of the tip. I did. Then she spoke to my manager. My manager brought me to her office and yelled at me until I was hoarse.

I stood firm and told her I would not be responsible for FAS. She told me she was removing me from the schedule until she decided what to do with me. She also informed me I could get the restaurant into serious trouble for discrimination, and based on my state's laws, she is correct.

When I talked to my mother and father tonight, they said they understood my stance. The whole restaurant staff is against me. I think I will call in and tell my manager I quit, but I still feel I am right here. I want some input on this and if I am wrong.

/u/funnt_tinder_prank:

Last week, I used my sister Ashley’s phone because mine was dead and I needed to call a friend to confirm plans. Dialing my friend’s number, I saw a Tinder notification of some guy messaging her. I immediately asked why she was on Tinder (she is 17), and she took her phone back and said, “none of your business.”

I wanted some fun. I gave her the benefit of the doubt—maybe she just swiped for fun—so I avoided immediately telling our parents. To check if she was just joking, I made a Tinder profile (using someone else's) and messaged her to see if she replied. I asked Kevin, a college friend who is a male model, if I could use his pictures and explained the situation. He found it funny and told me to do it.

I made the account, set my age to 22, and set my swipe radius to a mile. I quickly found my sister’s account. Her age was set to 19 (a lie; she is still in high school), making me more suspicious. I superliked, and less than an hour later, she matched and messaged me.

I set up a date at a fancy downtown restaurant for Sunday afternoon and told her we could go to my place after. She agreed completely and said she would meet me there. She told our parents she was with a track friend and staying at her place.

After she left, I told our parents everything and showed them all the messages. They got angry. I suggested we all go to the restaurant. My dad and I went instead and saw her sitting alone, dressed up, waiting for "Jim." My dad approached her and said, "Jim’s not coming," and she screamed, asking what we were doing there. I told her Jim wasn't coming and that it was stupid of her to try meeting grown men on Tinder at her age. My dad lectured her about lying and meeting strange men online and going to a stranger's house. We were loud, people started looking, and my sister finally cried and ran out.

I shared the situation with my groupchat friends. They all found it hilarious. Two female friends called me a "f*cking dick" and "cruel." Other friends defended me. They said she needed a lesson. I question who is correct and if I crossed a line.

Am I the asshole?

From /u/DadJokeAITA:

Note. My step-daughter, Madeline, was about one year old when I married her mother, Jessica. Madeline’s father died before she was born.

Madeline is fifteen and rebels against almost everything. She did something wrong. While picking her up, I set a punishment. Then she said, "You’re not my dad. I don’t have to follow you." That hurt me a bit. I understand she didn't mean it and will likely change. I replied, "I’m still your legal guardian for the next three years, and as long as you are in my house, you must follow my rules."

Two days ago, our family went grocery shopping. Madeline said, “I’m hungry. I need food.” I replied, “Hi Hungry, I’m not your dad.” My son laughed hard. My daughter grew quiet with embarrassment. My wife scolded me, “Don’t stoop down to her level.”

I thought that was a funny dad joke. My son agrees. So, am I an idiot?

/u/throwRA-fhfsveyary:

I am a high schooler. I work weekends at a coffee shop. My coworkers who work weekends are:

James is the owner's son. He attends my school. He manages shifts, though it is not formal. He is a friendly guy.

Danielle is a college student. She sometimes works weekends too.

Sometimes customers get angry over small things. They blow up about nothing. I do not know if they are already upset and seeking an outlet. But it is much. How sad must you be to be a grown man taking out your anger on high school and college kids?

James and I joked about having some fun with them. We hoped to get them off our backs.

One day at work, a guy got angry because the coffee was not hot enough. I could do nothing; I gave it to him straight from the machine.

James came in and asked, “Sir, is there a problem here?” The guy started yelling at him too. James just said, “OP, this is unacceptable, you're fired.”

I started acting very sad. I said, “No please don't fire me, my family needs the money, I need this job, please.” He acted tough, telling me to take off my apron and leave.

The angry guy backed down. He said, “It isn't that big of a problem, you don't need to fire her over it. I didn't mean it.” James replied, “No, we pride ourselves on the best customer service.”

After all that drama, I kept my job. We were just acting. We have done this a couple of times. Whenever a customer loses their temper with Danielle or me, James storms in and “fires” us. Almost every time, the angry person apologizes and says they did not mean it. It feels good, making people see their actions have results.

I told my school friends about this. A few thought it was a mean prank, letting someone go thinking they got someone who really needs the money fired.

Am I an idiot for this joke?

/u/oscholey1990:

I work at a petting zoo. This weekend, two teenagers (around 16, boyfriend and girlfriend) were provoking a llama.

I told them, “You might want to stop that! Llamas spit in self-defense.” But they laughed off my warning.

I knew llama spit was much worse than they thought. Still, I decided not to tell them. If they kept pushing, I would let the llama teach them a lesson.

The llama remained patient. It gave them a "warning spit" (just saliva). They reacted with "eww" and laughter, brushing it off, then they kept going at it.

The llama finally had enough. It unleashed its green, defensive spit, which llamas are known for. This hit the girl square in the face. She dropped to her knees and started retching, eventually throwing up. Her boyfriend gagged and ran toward the building where I was.

I stopped them from using the petting zoo's only bathroom. It was a slow day, so I locked the doors. I told them I did not want that smell inside and made them leave the farm without washing up.

The girl's parents called me the next day and yelled. They said my action was too harsh. I knew not washing llama spit right away lets the smell sink into the skin, making it very hard to remove. Still, I wanted the lesson to stick.

Am I the jerk?

From /u/frustratingbaconeate:

Dad here. He loves his daughter, but I struggle to agree with my teenager and wife on this.

Our family always ate meat. We live in the rural Midwest; bacon for breakfast is standard. This year, my 14-year-old daughter went vegan. I joined her support team enthusiastically. We learned ingredient swaps, cooked new foods, tried new things, and I adjusted our budget for pricier vegan substitutes for her.

This was fine until recently. She saw me cook bacon in a pan, then I rinsed it out for the dishwasher. She exploded with anger. (I don't care about the anger, I know she doesn't mean it) and said that was HER pan for vegan food. I was shocked. I told her, "Kiddo, this is a family pan; it's older than you; it's not yours."

She asked me to buy her a pan just for vegan food. I did not want her to feel weird about food. So, I agreed and ordered her a few colored ones only for her. The colors help me remember not to touch them unless I am cooking vegan.

That was not enough. Now, apparently the dishwasher is 'contaminated' with animal product. The fridge has 'bacon grease fingers' on it (because I eat bacon and touch the fridge). She asked me and her mom to stop eating meat at home. I do not mean I touch the fridge with greasy bacon hands; I wash my hands. But it is clearly enough to upset my daughter.

I say no. Her mom is much more open and pushes me to consider the request for our daughter. My wife thinks our parents live near, so we can eat meat products there. She doesn't want our daughter to feel weird in the kitchen. My daughter says cheese and butter in the fridge are okay, but meat products make her sick. I apologize for her, but she must adjust and live near, because I will keep eating bacon at home.

Am I an idiot?