“Forget the Sour Soup! After a Family Dinner with My Parents, I Packed Up My Wife”

Last weekend, my wife and I visited her parents home for a family dinner. Thats when the disagreement happened.

We began as usual, sitting around the table and chatting about various topics. Somehow, the conversation drifted to my job, a subject my wife brought up herself.

To be fair, the issue wasnt entirely unfounded. Recently, we had been thinking about building a swimming pool in my parents backyarda plan wed talked about for ages, and this year my wife decided there was no point in delaying any longer.

Were also considering replacing the car before winter sets in. Next summer, wed hoped for a trip to the seaside, since we havent managed one for three years. And in our family, Im the only one who works.

Im content with my jobits not a complaint. But the company I work for is having some troubles at the moment. A few people have lost their jobs, and the rest, myself included, have seen our salaries cut indefinitely.

So, I pointed out that while we do have some savingsenough, really, for a modest trip to the coast and, if the price doesnt go up, for a basic version of the car we wanted.

My wife, however, felt that her parents pool should take precedence over our own plans. I disagreed; the discussion ended with her accusing me of laziness and not wanting to find a better job so that we could afford everything.

The whole thing was repeated at the dinner table. I couldnt keep calm anymore and abruptly told my wife that we already support her parents quite generously every month. In a moment of anger, I blurted out that the entire meal had likely been paid for almost completely by me.

I shouldnt have said that, but at that point, there was no going back. I was staring down at sour soup in my bowl as my wife launched into an emotional tirade. She was so offended that I heard plenty of unflattering things about myself. I didnt stick around; I quietly got up and left for home.

Once there, I packed up her things and took them over to her parents place. I believe arguments like this shouldnt happen, and such behaviour is unacceptable. Now Im back home, and I find it hard to think about anything. Honestly, I have no idea what to do next.