After a Long 12-Hour Shift, All I Found for Dinner Were Pizza Crusts Left by My Husband
My husband was so comfortable with not working that he wasn’t making an effort to find employment. One day he did something that broke the camel’s back and I finally lost it! I set about getting revenge on him in a way that forced him to change his ways completely.
Hi everyone, my name is Amanda and I am a 45-year-old married woman. I am not into handouts and have been working tirelessly. I’ve been juggling a full-time job and all the household chores. All the while my husband, Dave, 47, lounges around at home, doing the bare minimum.
Last week, he pushed me to my breaking point, and I decided it was time for some petty revenge! Grab some popcorn, because this one’s a good one! Before I get ahead of myself, let me start with a little background.
I am a nurse by profession and that means I work 12-hour shifts. My job, which I love and wouldn’t change for anything in the world, is physically and emotionally demanding. Meanwhile, Dave’s been unemployed for over a year.
Once in a while when I confront him, he claims “I’m looking for work.” But over the past few months, I’ve come to realize that what that means is he plays video games all day. OCCASIONALLY he’ll send out a resume.
Perhaps I am also a bit at fault as his enabler. Despite him doing nothing for the household, he expects me to cook, clean, and cater to his every whim. Last Friday was one of those days where EVERYTHING went wrong!
I was running on empty by the time my shift ended at the hospital. On my way home, I decided to order a pizza because I simply had no energy left to cook. As exhausted as I was, I looked forward to finally sitting down and enjoying a nice meal not prepared by me.
My mistake, however, was that I ordered the food on my way from work and had it delivered at home. When I arrived, what I saw left me shocked! I found the pizza box sitting empty on the counter!
My husband was sprawled out on the couch, surrounded by crumbs, still busy with his games. The pizza was completely gone, save for a pile of crusts! My jaw DROPPED! I asked, “Dave, where’s my pizza?”
“Hey, I was hungry,” he said nonchalantly when he saw the look on my face. “You know it’s YOUR duty to cook for me, but don’t worry, I left you the crusts,” he added. “They’re like bread, and there’s plenty there so you won’t be hungry.”
Saying I was livid is putting it mildly! I stared at the crusts, feeling the exhaustion and anger well up inside me! But instead of yelling and losing my mind, I took a deep breath. A cunning idea started to form as I calmed myself.
I knew exactly how to get back at him in a way he wouldn’t forget. So I woke up early the next morning. I made Dave his favorite breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. I served it to him with a fake smile, and he ate it up.
In his arrogance, he was oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. As he finished, he leaned back, patting his stomach. “That was delicious, babe. You know how to treat a man.” Inside my mind, I was looking at him in disgust but found comfort in the idea that I was about to implement.
“Glad you enjoyed it,” I said. “By the way, I need to run some errands. I’ll be back later.”
Instead of running errands, I went to my sister’s place. I needed her help with the next part of my plan. She’s a technology whiz. I told her, “I need your help in whipping my husband back into shape without breaking a sweat.”
Smiling, she replied, “How may I be of service?” We spent the next few hours setting up a little surprise for Dave.
I returned home in the evening and pretended everything was normal. I went to bed early, and Dave stayed up late, as usual, gaming. But what he wasn’t aware of was that every website he tried to visit was now redirected to a single page. The message that came up when he went to them read:
“This is what happens when you treat your wife like a servant. Enjoy the crusts of your own actions.”
The next morning, my husband was FURIOUS when I woke up! “What did you do to the internet?” he yelled. I calmly sipped my coffee and looked at him. “Oh, did something happen? Maybe you should figure it out yourself.”
His face turned red with frustration. “You know I don’t know how to fix this! This isn’t funny, Amanda!”
“Oh, it’s hilarious from where I’m sitting,” I replied. “Now you’ll understand how it feels being treated like a joke.” Before he could leave, I added, “It will stay that way until you learn to respect me and start pulling your weight around the house.”
He stormed out to use the internet at a café. But the beauty of it was that I had his email account redirected too! Every time he tried to send an email, it bounced back with the same message: “Treat your wife better.”
For days, he was a mess. He had no idea how to fix it, and he was too proud to ask for help. Meanwhile, I continued to do my job and care for the house. But I made it clear that I wouldn’t tolerate his behavior anymore.
I did something I should’ve done long ago. I stopped cooking for him and cleaning up after him. He had to fend for himself. After a week of this treatment, Dave finally broke down and apologized.
“Amanda, look I’m sorry. I know I’ve been a jerk. I’ve taken you for granted and I promise to start contributing more around the house.” I looked at him, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Do you mean it? Because if you’re saying this just to get the internet back, you’re in for a rude awakening.”
He nodded vigorously. “I mean it. I’ll prove it to you. Just please, fix the internet.” I had my sister undo the tech block. But I made it clear that if he ever pulled a stunt like that again, I’d have no problem bringing back “Internet Purgatory.”
Now, Dave has changed and is helping out! He’s gone back to being the man I love who helps with cooking, and cleaning, and is even looking for jobs more seriously! And every time he reaches for a slice of pizza, he makes sure to ask if I want any first!
A few nights later, while we were having dinner that he’d prepared, my husband looked at me with a sheepish grin. “You got me good, you know that? I’ve never been so frustrated in my life.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, now you’ll think twice before treating me like your personal maid.” He nodded, a look of determination crossing his face. “I promise that won’t EVER happen again because you deserve so much more.”
“I let myself get too comfortable being spoiled by you and forgot you were my wife and partner and not my help.” It was clear that he’d learned his lesson. “I’ve never said this before, but thank you for holding down the fort while I’ve been out of commission.”
“I know that we wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for your tenacity.” He shared his appreciation for my continued selflessness in working late and long hours so we could live well despite him not working.
I thanked him for his kind words and just when I thought he was done he spoke up again. “I have a surprise for you,” he beamed. “I have a job interview tomorrow and it’s promising!”
I congratulated him by giving him a warm hug and kiss. As we finished dinner, I realized that sometimes a little petty revenge is exactly what’s needed to set things right! Our relationship had turned a corner, and I was hopeful for the future.
Dave learned his lesson, and I gained a newfound respect for myself and what I deserved. Revenge is sweet, especially when it comes with a side of respect. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my wonderful tale of revenge and even took some valuable tips.
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