In a recent family dispute that has captured the attention of many, a guy decided to charge his adult son $1800 a month to continue living at home. When his son was struggling to meet this financial demand while also saving for his upcoming wedding, the family erupted into WAR, with his wife on the front lines! Let’s take a look.
Moving Home at a High Price
Ebenezer, at 54, had seen his fair share of life’s challenges. His son, a young 21-year-old named Samuel, had just finished college and was stepping into the wide world as a young adult.
Samuel had recently moved back in with his parents post-graduation and was now juggling his job and planning a wedding. Life was certainly busy for him.
However, living under his father’s roof once again was not free of charge, as Ebenezer decided to charge his son rent.
The Going Rate
He believed it was time for Samuel to learn about real-world financial commitments.
Ebenezer settled on $1800 a month, a figure which he noted was the average in their area.
Despite Samuel’s initial resistance, he accepted this new responsibility, and Ebenezer, in turn, committed to fulfilling all the duties a landlord would.
Time went on, and Samuel continued to work, pay his rent, and manage his life.
Something Was Off
However, one day, Ebenezer’s wife, noticing something amiss, approached him. She asked if Ebenezer had sensed any change in Samuel.
Ebenezer was taken aback and replied that he hadn’t. His wife, ever the observant mother, shared her concern that Samuel seemed to be distancing himself from them.
Probing a little deeper, Ebenezer’s wife decided to speak with Samuel directly.
After some gentle urging, Samuel revealed a little secret: to manage his rent and save for his impending wedding, he had taken up a second job.
Exhausting Schedule a Thing of Pride
He was now not only working his regular day job but also moonlighting as an Uber driver during the evenings and over weekends.
Ebenezer, on hearing this, had a surprising reaction. Rather than feeling guilty or concerned, he swelled with pride.
He had often viewed Samuel as lacking financial discipline, and here he was, working hard, taking on another job to ensure he met his responsibilities.
Ebenezer couldn’t help but see this as a testament to his son’s newfound responsibility.
A Sociopathic Response
However, his wife didn’t share the sentiment.
She was taken aback, questioning why Ebenezer would feel proud about inadvertently pushing their son to work all hours to “make ends meet.”
She labeled Ebenezer’s reaction as cold-hearted, even going as far as calling him a sociopath.
Ebenezer defended himself – how could he be a sociopath when he had literally just shown genuine emotion (pride) in front of her?
Give the Kid a Break
The discussion escalated when she raised the prospect of giving Samuel a rent break.
Ebenezer was adamant, asking, “Why would I? What landlord would sacrifice their own income like that?”
At her wit’s end, his wife declared she would take matters into her own hands, even if it meant paying Samuel’s rent herself!
She stormed off, leaving Ebenezer to himself.
A Rift Has Formed
Since that day, Ebenezer’s wife has been incredibly callous and frosty toward him.
Ebenezer couldn’t help but see the irony in this after she had accused him of something similar.
So, like many men before him, Ebenezer found himself looking for clarity online; he asked Reddit, “So I’m wondering, I guess, am I wrong?”
The sentiment on Reddit was overwhelmingly one of disapproval towards Ebenezer’s decision to charge his son such a hefty rent.
Missing the Larger Picture
Many users emphasized that Ebenezer’s role was, first and foremost, that of a father, not a landlord, suggesting he had a moral obligation to be supportive and understanding, especially during challenging times.
Several comments chastised him for seemingly prioritizing profit over his son’s well-being, even accusing him of being a “parasite” and devoid of empathy.
One user said, “You are charging him money, and have the opportunity to make his life easier, but instead you take pride in knowing that he’s killing himself so he can pay you money.”
Not Even Worth the Money
The majority of people were taken aback by the $1800 monthly charge, with one user saying, “$1800 could get him a whole ass private one bedroom apartment with a private bathroom and balcony in the 3rd largest city in America, and a pretty nice one at that. Who tf tries to make money off of their own children?!?! And is proud about it?!?! “
The general consensus was that Ebenezer was missing the larger picture: the immense strain he was putting on his child.
One user quipped, “the “I’m not a sociopath, I had just exhibited an emotion!” is a hilarious line.”
But what do you think? Is $1800 too steep? What would you have done in his shoes?
The post Dad Takes Pride in Exhausted Son’s Grueling Workload to Pay Extortionate Rent: The Twist? Dad’s the Landlord! first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Kitreel
Source: Reddit