'I was so embarrassed and angry': Wife anniversary dinner 'prank' causes children to cry and husband to storm out

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Aug 8, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

Pranks, in the age of the internet, can mean nearly anything. A prank can mean a genuinely funny ruse where someone dresses up like the girl from The Ring in order to scare her younger brother. Or call your history teacher and ask him if his refrigerator is running. Or if you put a feather in someone's shoe (New Girl fans get it). Or a prank can apparently be an annoying inconvenience to everyone and funny to no one. Such is the nature of pranks in the era of YouTubers, TikTokkers, and Twitch streamers. 

But what if that insufferable prank culture infiltrated your own family? What would you do then? That's the situation one man found himself in when an anniversary dinner with his wife turned into a scourge on their relationship and family, all because of one simple 'prank,' if you can even call it that. Read on for the story.

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    Cheezburger Image 10385168128
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    Aita for leaving my wife at the restaurant because of her "prank"?
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    I have been married to my wife (35F) for 10 years. We have two children (8F) and (5M). We have had good times and bad times in our relationship, but we have always managed to get through it together. Until last weekend, now I am questioning everything.
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    Lately, she has been watching way too many prank videos on YouTube. She finds them all very funny, so she started trying to play pranks on me and the kids. Most of them were harmless and funny until last weekend when she took it too far.
    via u/Regular-Put-775
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    We celebrated our anniversary by going out to eat at a nice restaurant. She seemed absent for most of the evening, and I didn't pay attention. While she was waiting for our meal, she suddenly stood up and started screaming that I was choking her. She was holding her throat, tripping and falling to the
    via u/Regular-Put-775
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    ground, pretending to choke. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at us. I was in shock and trying to figure out what was going on. A few people came over to try to help her, and I just stood there, unable to
    via u/Regular-Put-775
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    understand. Then she started laughing and said, "I'm kidding." I was mortified and so angry. The kids were crying, the other customers were staring at us, and the manager came over to see what was wrong. I couldn't believe she thought it was funny.
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    I was so embarrassed and angry. Our kids were upset, the other customers were disgusted by what had happened, and the manager wanted to know what was going on. How could she have thought it was funny?
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    I told her I had had enough and couldn't take any more pranks like this. I took the kids and left alone, leaving her at the restaurant. We went home. I packed a duffel bag for the kids and me and went to my brother's. She keeps calling and texting, saying I overreacted and
    via u/Regular-Put-775
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    that she was joking. I embarrassed her by leaving her there, and she thinks I owe her an apology. Our friends are divided. Some think I was right to leave, and others think I should have handled the situation differently.
    via u/Regular-Put-775
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    Bubbly_sofi. 2 hr. ago NTA. Your wife's prank was inappropriate and harmful. It's alright that you were upset and embarrassed by her actions.
    via u/Bubbly_sofi
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    PurplePufferPea · 57 min. ago Right! I am a full grown adult and just recently witnessed my mom faint and fall to the floor at a restaurant. Thankfully it ended up being nothing serious, but I am still scarred by it. I can't imagine what kind of harm that did to those kids. OP, you are most definitely NTA!
    via u/PurplePufferPea
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    • Charming_Kirstine 1 hr. ago NTA. The prank wasn't funny. By faking a choking incident in a public place, she created a dangerous situation for herself and others.
    via u/Charming_Kirstine
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    TricksyGoose 17 min. ago • And now if someone does choke there for real, the staff will likely pause, thinking it's another prank, and someone could die due to their inaction/delayed response.
    via u/TricksyGoose
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    waxedgooch 1 hr. ago She was being genuinely truly stupid and I don't think could get over the loss of respect I would feel. Also... whyd she make it about YOU choking her? What? that now she's not safe to even be around
    via u/waxedgooch
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    Reasonable-Sun-1154. 1 hr. ago I cannot stop thinking that a 35 yo woman thought this would be funny and appropriate to do, specially in public. I honestly struggle to understand people that pull pranks. Period. To put it online, even worse. To do all this when you are older than a stupid teenager. The worst. NTA
    via u/Reasonable-Sun-1154
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    Diedrogen 2 hr. ago NTA. No sympathy for people who cry wolf and make scenes in public.
    via u/Diedrogen
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    Used-Tangerine-117 1 hr. ago Sounds like your wife might need to see a therapist...
    via u/Used-Tangerine-117
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    blueeyedwolff 2 hr. ago Yikes. NTA. I would consider leaving PERMANENTLY after a "prank" like that.
    via u/blueeyedwolff

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