Wife Gives Her Husband The Silent Treatment After He Went Fishing During Their Vacation Instead Of Consoling Her Friends Who Just Lost Their Dog

She accused him of making them look bad when everyone else stayed to comfort her friends

Chelsi

• Published in Animal Stories
• October 19, 2023

A Redditor argued with his wife during a camping trip because he went fishing after they found out a family friend's dog died. OP and his family went on a camping trip with a group of his wife's friends.

They were three families altogether — six adults and eight children. OP brought their boat along for the trip.

He told his wife he would be willing to take people on leisurely boat rides and the kids for tubing. The one thing he asked was that he be allowed to go night fishing at least once during their 3-day stay.

OP asked for this special activity because they would be staying near a lake famous for its walleye fishing. The best time to catch walleyes was after sunset and before sunrise.

OP's wife agreed. He anticipated his night fishing, especially after talking to the locals who said the lake hadn't disappointed anyone yet.

OP didn't get a chance to go night fishing during the first two nights. His wife's friends planned family games, which everyone, including OP, enjoyed.

On the morning of their third and last day at the camp, OP told his wife he would be fishing that night, and she agreed. He prepared his fishing gear after dinner.

At 8 p.m. just as OP was about to leave the dock, his wife caught up to him, visibly panicked.

One of her friend's family dogs was hit by a golf cart. The dog didn't survive the accident.

His wife asked him to stay to help the kids calm down. OP agreed.

He consoled the kids who were shaken by what happened. He stayed for the impromptu funeral service that the owner's kids threw. Around 9:30 p.m., the kids settled in to watch a movie. OP decided to continue with his plans.

His wife got mad that OP was still planning to go night fishing after what happened. OP argued he had done what he could and there was nothing else he could help the family with.

OP told his wife that he was sorry about what happened. However, he shouldn't have to give up on the one activity he asked to do for their trip.

OP went fishing and got home late while everyone was asleep. His wife said OP made them look bad in front of her friends when he left to go fishing.

OP was the only one who knew the right chant

Clearly, OP's wife wasn't concerned about her friend's feelings. She was more concerned about looking sympathetic.

At least OP's concern was from a genuine place of sympathy and not about keeping up appearances

OP truly did all he could in that situation. What else was he supposed to do?

By the time OP left, the kids were a lot calmer. It was still a sad situation and OP's presence wouldn't have changed it.

It would have been more offensive if OP stayed and gave a superficial performance of grief

OP can console himself knowing that he accomplished all of his goals during the trip

No one is denying that losing a pet is a sad situation, especially for the owners. OP's wife was wrong to guilt him for fishing instead of staying to console her grieving friends to the extent that she deemed acceptable.

Doing more to prove that you were the most sympathetic friend is just plain wrong. I don't think OP's wife will admit she was unfair to him.

Chelsi