Many things are known from context and implied when we speak. Normally, with people close to us, we expect them to consider our intentions, not to harm us and then use linguistic ambiguity to cover it up. However, if for whatever reason a person chooses to misunderstand something by ignoring the context, there may be no end to the level of absurdity it might lead to.
And this Redditor took the readers on one such trip, as she shared a story of her boyfriend, for whatever reason, ordering food she’s allergic to and expecting her to be happy about it.
More info: Reddit
A man ordered dinner for two but left his girlfriend disappointed
Image credits: Ambitious Studio* – Rick Barrett (not the actual photo)
The couple often have meals together and the man knows his girlfriend’s taste, as well as her allergy to shellfish
Image credits: ilikefood098
Sometimes when one of them is running late or is busy with something else, they have the other person order food for both
Image credits: Andie Venzl (not the actual photo)
This time the woman was in the shower when her boyfriend told her he was ordering Italian, so she asked him to pick something
A woman brought a disagreement with her boyfriend to the Reddit AITA community online, asking if she was a jerk to get upset with the man’s dinner choice after letting him pick.
The woman explained that she and her boyfriend of seven months eat together a lot and while they usually decide for themselves what to get, sometimes they order for one another, for example, when one of them is running late or is busy with something else.
So it happened this time, as the woman was in the shower when her boyfriend told her he was ordering Italian and she just yelled for him to pick something.
Yet, when the woman saw what the man had ordered, she was disappointed. Even though the woman is not a picky eater, she is allergic to shrimp and that was exactly what the man had ordered for the both of them.
One may think the man didn’t know about the allergy, yet he did know about it, in addition to knowing what his girlfriend likes.
The woman was upset; however, the man refused to budge and presented two arguments, that his girlfriend made it clear it was his choice, so that was what he chose, and that “whatever” means “whatever”.
The woman was upset to find soon after that her boyfriend had ordered shrimp scampi for two
Image credits: Anna Hill (not the actual photo)
The man still argued that he was allowed to choose, so he did
The woman’s post gathered 10.6k upvotes and people judged she was not a jerk in this situation. Commenters discussed the possible intentions and the reason’s behind the man’s behavior, and the suggestions included making a mistake and not wanting/being able to apologize, being an absolute moron, or being completely selfish.
There was also an honest interpretation presented in the comments, which goes as follows: “If I was dating someone as shellfish as he is, I’d be pretty crabby too. <…> His behavior is downright fishy.”
Not knowing where another person stands was listed by Verywell Mind among the red flags of one-sided relationships, explaining that when another person doesn’t put in much effort to be clear about it, it may leave one doubting their intentions, commitment, and investment in the relationship.
Similarly, poor communication manifests when another person does not listen or try to understand their partner.
Finally, they brought up making excuses and not owning up to one’s mistakes, noting that being in a one-sided relationship often leaves a person feeling anxious, empty, misunderstood, and insecure.
Coming back to the original story, the boyfriend’s behavior could be summed up as follows: the man didn’t consider the woman’s intentions and needs, finally trying to explain his rude behavior away. Given there is nothing left out, it may be quite easy to determine who is “shellfish” and who should be concerned.
What’s your take on the situation? Please, share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Redditors shared their takes on the situation
Image credits: Erik Mclean (not the actual photo)
