Mike, a 65-year-old father, found himself in a situation that made him feel like a character from a daytime drama! His two daughters, Alicia and Mary, were upset with him, and their relationship had turned rather rocky. They weren’t on bad terms over typical family squabbles, though. No, this was about something more complex: politics.
They Lived Together as a Family
Let’s rewind a bit. Mike, a divorcee since his girls were in middle school, had been in a long-term relationship with a woman named Janice for 15 years.
Despite not being married, they lived together as a family, with Mike’s daughters staying with them from high school until they moved out to start their lives.
Their happy household began to crumble when it became apparent that Mike and Janice held political views that directly opposed those of Alicia and Mary. This ideological gap grew more prominent and painful over time.
The straw that broke the camel’s back occurred during a festive Christmas gathering several years ago. Everyone was in high spirits until Mary said something that upset Janice.
He Decided To Take His Daughter Out for a Birthday Breakfast
This disagreement spiraled into a full-blown row, resulting in Mary storming out of the house. The rest of the day was filled with discomfort and awkwardness.
Following this unpleasant incident, Mike and Janice decided it was best not to let Mary visit their home anymore.
However, Mike still tried to maintain a relationship with Mary by seeing her regularly, sometimes with Alicia’s company.
Fast forward to a year after the Christmas incident. Mike decided to take Alicia out for a birthday breakfast, hoping to spend some quality time with his daughter.
They Agreed Not To Discuss Politics
Given their turbulent history, they had agreed not to discuss politics anymore, as it always led to discord.
However, a provocative news item on the restaurant’s TV irked Mike, and he couldn’t help but voice his opinion.
This opened the floodgates to Alicia’s pent-up frustrations. She began to rant passionately, refusing to stop even when Mike asked her to.
The situation escalated when a man at another table chimed in, agreeing with Mike and chastising Alicia for her viewpoint.
They Disagreed and He Left Her Alone With a Stranger
Instead of defending his daughter, Mike, whose day was already soured, decided to leave! He wished Alicia a happy birthday and exited the restaurant, leaving Alicia alone with the stranger.
Alicia was furious with Mike for leaving her in what she perceived as an unsafe situation. From her perspective, Mike had not only failed to defend her but had also abandoned her in a potentially dangerous situation.
Mike, on the other hand, felt that Alicia should take some responsibility, arguing that none of this would have happened if she had kept her opinions to herself.
Their relationship has been rocky since that day. Alicia distanced herself from Mike, barely talking to him, and they only met on special occasions.
She Didn’t Tell Him Where She Was Living
She even moved to a new place and didn’t give Mike her new address. Meanwhile, Mary preferred to stay neutral and didn’t want to get involved in the dispute between Mike and Alicia.
In a desperate attempt to make sense of the situation, Mike sought the opinions of strangers online. He shared his story, asking if he was in the wrong for not taking complete responsibility for the situation.
He wondered whether he was indeed at fault for not siding with his daughter when she was in a heated argument with a stranger.
Redditors did not hold back with their opinions. They thought that Mike was an idiot and should apologize to Alicia for leaving her on her birthday.
“You Blew a Pact, Insulted Her Intelligence, and Then Left Her With an Angry Stranger”
They argued that he was purposefully alienating his kids by choosing a political stance over being a parent and allowing his partner to alienate them because they don’t fall in line with his beliefs.
One user commented, “Even in your convenient, sanitized version of events where nobody’s beliefs are relevant, YTA. You blew a pact, insulted her intelligence, and then left her with an angry stranger. Apologize.”
Family gatherings may be a great place to debate the merits of pineapple on pizza, but perhaps they’re not the most appropriate forums for political debates.
As they say, never mix business with pleasure – and in this case, it seems politics and family are a cocktail that will leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth!
What do you think of Mike’s predicament? Was he wrong to leave Alicia alone at the restaurant? Should he take full responsibility for the family’s discord? Or should Alicia also bear some responsibility for her actions? Let us know your opinions in the comments!
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The post He Ruined Her Birthday by Discussing Politics and Leaving Her Alone With a Stranger, Something They Vowed Never To Do first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit