It was one of the morning where everything seemed to crumble.
Six months after giving birth I have been juggling a newborn, sleepless nights and endless linen. Then, as if the universe decided to add an insult to the injury, our washing machine decided to stop at me. I knew something had to be done – fast.
But what happened shocked me. Instead of the support I desperately needed from my husband, Billy, he refused my concerns with an apology that let me rage me: he was too busy paying for his mother’s holiday to bother with a new washing machine.
And then I realized – if I wanted me to live as if it were 18th century, maybe I should teach him a small lesson in history.
For six months postpartum, buried under the mountain of children’s laundry and our washing machine finally gave up. I told my husband, Billy, we absolutely needed a new one.
His answer? “Not this month. I’m spending money on my mother’s holiday. You can wash everything by hand. People have been doing it for centuries and none of it died!” Excuse me?!
For the next two and a half weeks, I washed my clothes until my hands were raw, all in the care of our newborn and household management.
I had enough of a week. So I decided to teach him a little lesson. That morning I packed his lunch as usual. But instead of the hearty food he expected, I filled his box for lunch stones. I froze a folded remark, kissed him on his face, and sent him to work. And then I waited.
At exactly 12:30, Billy attacked, furiously.
“What the hell is that?!” He screamed and hit lunch on the counter.
I wiped my hands with a towel. “What is the problem, sweetheart?”
He opened a lunch box, pulled out a note and read it out loud.
“Men accustomed to themselves about food.
His face twisted with anger. “Are you from your mind, shirley? I had to open it in front of my co -workers!”
I crossed my hands. “Oh, so public humiliation is bad when it happens to you?”
Billy looked as if he was going to scream, but once he was quiet. “Continue, Billy. Tell me how it differs.”
His jaw clenched. “Shirley, this is – that’s childish.” Sharp laughed. “Oh, I see. So your suffering is real, but my kids are my kids?”
Threw his hands up. “You could talk to me!”
“Did I talk to you?
I pointed to his lunch. “You thought I’d just accept it?
Billy turned away.
I shook my head. “I’m not your servant, Billy. And I’m sure I’m not your mother as hell.” He finally murmured, “I understand it.”
“You?” I asked.
He sighed his shoulders. “Yeah. I do.”
I turned back to the sink. “Okay,” I said, rinsed my hands. “Because I meant it, Billy. If you ever put your mother’s holiday on my basic needs, you would rather learn how to start fire with these stones.”
Billy upset for the rest of the night. Don’t turn off the TV. He sat on the couch, crossed his arms and stared at the wall as if he were betrayed. He barely touched his dinner. Sometimes he released an exaggerated sigh and hoped I could feel bad for him.
No. I was perfectly fine and let him choke.
The next morning Billy dressed quickly and left without a word. I didn’t ask where. That evening, when he returned home, he held a brand new washing machine.
Billy set it up, connected the hoses, checked the settings. No excuses. No complaints.
When he finished, he finally looked up and his face was upset.
“Now I understand it.”
I nodded. “Good.”
“Me, uh … I should have listened to you before.”
“Yeah!” I crossed my hands. “You should have
He grabbed the phone and left without further argument. Just accepting. And honestly? That was enough for me.
Conclusion
Before Billy founded a new washing machine, I expressed my opinion. It wasn’t just about the machine – it was respect, teamwork and understanding the value of each other. It took a little hard love, but in the end Billy understood that the duties in our house were not unilateral.
He learned that his actions, no matter how small, had consequences. And just as I was hoping for a change, nothing felt better than when I finally took responsibility and acted without apology. Sometimes it is necessary to learn the lesson and in our case that the lesson came with the side of the stones.