\nMy Husband Refused to Buy a New Washing Machine and Told Me to Wash Everything by Hand \u2014 Because He Promised His Mom a Vacation Instead\n
Six months postpartum, drowning in baby laundry, and our washing machine d-ies.\n
I tell my husband, Billy, we need a new one ASAP.\n
His response? \u201cNot this month. I\u2019m paying for my mom\u2019s vacation. You can wash everything by hand. People used to do that for centuries, and NOBODY d-ied of it!\u201d\n
Excuse me?!\n
For two and a half weeks, I scrubbed clothes until my fingers bled, all while taking care of a newborn and running the house.\n
By week 3, I\u2019d had enough, so I decided to teach him a lesson.
\nThat morning I packed his lunch as usual. Instead of the big, hearty meal he expected, I filled his lunchbox with stones. Right on top, I put a folded note.\n
After that I kissed his cheek and sent him off to work.\n
And I waited.\n
At exactly 12:30 PM, Billy stormed through the front door, and furious.\n
\n
\u201cWhat the hell have you done?!\u201d he shouted, slamming his lunchbox onto the counter.\n
I wiped my hands on a towel. \u201cWhat do you mean, sweetheart?\u201d\n
He flipped open the lid. He grabbed the note and read it out loud.\n
\u201cMen used to get food for their families themselves. Go hunt your meal, make fire with stones, and fry it.\u201d\n
His face twisted because of rage. \u201cAre you out of your damn mind, Shirley? I had to open this in front of my coworkers!\u201d\n
I crossed my arms. \u201cOh, so public humiliation is bad when it happens to you?\u201d\n
For illustrative purpose only.
\nBill looked like he wanted to yell, but for once, he didn\u2019t have a comeback.\n
\u201cGo on, Billy. Tell me how this is different.\u201d\n
His jaw tightened. \u201cShirley, this is\u2014this is just childish.\u201d\n
I let out a sharp laugh. \u201cOh, I see. So your suffering is real, but mine is just me being childish?\u201d\n
He threw his hands in the air. \u201cYou could have just talked to me!\u201d\n
\u201cTalked to you? I did, Billy. I told you I couldn\u2019t go three weeks without a washing machine. I told you I was exhausted. And you shrugged and told me to do it by hand. Like I was some woman from the 1800s!\u201d\n
I pointed at his lunchbox. \u201cYou thought I\u2019d just take it, huh? That I\u2019d wash and scrub and break my back while you sat on that couch every night without a care in the world?\u201d\n
Billy looked away.\n
I shook my head. \u201cI\u2019m not a servant, Billy. And I\u2019m sure as hell not your mother.\u201d\n
Finally, he muttered, \u201cI get it.\u201d\n
\u201cDo you?\u201d I asked.\n
He sighed, shoulders slumping. \u201cYeah. I do.\u201d\n
\n
I turned back to the sink. \u201cGood,\u201d I said, rinsing off my hands. \u201cBecause I meant it, Billy. If you ever put your mother\u2019s vacation over my basic needs again, you\u2019d better learn how to start a fire with those rocks.\u201d\n
Billy sulked for the rest of the evening.\n
He didn\u2019t turn on the TV. He sat on the couch, arms crossed, staring at the wall like it had personally betrayed him. He barely touched his dinner. Every now and then, he sighed loudly, like I was supposed to feel bad for him.\n
I didn\u2019t. I was perfectly fine letting him stew in it.\n
The next morning, Billy got dressed quickly and left without a word.\n
I didn\u2019t ask where he was going.\n
That evening, when he came home, I saw a brand-new washing machine.\n
\n
Billy just set it up, plugging in hoses, checking the settings. No excuses. No complaints.\n
As he finished, he finally looked up. His face was sheepish.\n
\u201cI get it now.\u201d\n
I nodded. \u201cGood.\u201d\n
\u201cI, uh\u2026 should\u2019ve listened to you sooner.\u201d\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d I said, crossing my arms. \u201cYou should have.\u201d\n
He grabbed his phone and walked away without argument or justification. Just acceptance. And honestly? For me, that was enough.\n
\n
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