The internet is divided over whether a man was right to call out his wife’s best friend during a birthday meal.
The poster, with the username Benandril, shared his dilemma in the popular Reddit thread “Am I The A******?” where it garnered 7,200 upvotes.
“She’s always seemed too dramatic and over the top for me. Always attributed everything to her star sign. Insufferable comes to mind if I were to use one word,” he posted in the thread.
The OP usually ignores this friend, who he says he has never liked. But, at the celebratory dinner, he couldn’t hold back after she made a fuss when the restaurant got her dessert order wrong.
According to him, she wasn’t screaming or throwing plates, but she kept complaining to the staff and even attempted to go into the kitchen, despite the servers consistently apologizing for the delay and mix-up.
“We waited like 45 minutes for it to arrive, so I get that she was frustrated,” the OP admitted. “But she just kept complaining to the group and then said she was going to have a ‘Virgo moment,’ whatever that means. I muttered under my breath, but apparently too loudly: ‘You mean a tantrum’,” he shared.
The friend then asked him to repeat himself, and he told her there was no such thing as a ‘Virgo moment,’ just a grown person throwing a tantrum.
This led to an argument, and the OP left early with his wife. He believes he was justified in calling it a tantrum but admitted he might have been wrong for doing so at her birthday.
Stock image of people arguing in a restaurant. The internet is divided over who was in the wrong. Stock image of people arguing in a restaurant. The internet is divided over who was in the wrong. JackF/iStock / Getty Images Plus
“I was calm and didn’t escalate things, but even then, it didn’t have to be said because there really was no outcome where things would’ve worked out well. AITA?” he asked the Reddit community.
Expert Opinion
Blair Nicole, author, associate marriage and family therapist, shared her insight on the situation.
She said the man’s comment wasn’t a great choice but that it doesn’t make him an a******.
She explained: “He’s human. Was it a great choice to make the comment? No. Is he an a******? No, just a human who was probably overwhelmed.”
Nicole noted that being in emotionally charged situations can cause people to blurt out things they later regret, adding: “The best course of action is for him to take accountability for his mistake and to apologize.
“However, I would also recommend that he has an open and honest conversation with his wife about how he feels regarding the friend’s behavior,” she advised.
What Did the Redditor Mean by ‘Virgo Moment’?
Commenters were confused by the birthday girl’s astrological identification, noting that her birthday falls during Leo season. One commenter speculated that she might have a Virgo placement in another part of her astrological chart, like her moon sign.
Astrologer Hanna Shahun, from the MoonX mobile app, told Newsweek that in astrology, a “Virgo moment” refers to behavior characterized by traits associated with the Virgo zodiac sign—attention to detail, practicality, organization, and analytical thinking.
Athen Chimenti, an astrologer, told Newsweek: “Virgos can be detail-oriented, perfectionistic, and have high standards for themselves and others.
“Due to this nature, they may be liable to experience a hightened stress level when things don’t go according to plan.”
A Zodiac wheel. The woman blamed astrology for her outburst. A Zodiac wheel. The woman blamed astrology for her outburst. Liudmila Chernetska/iStock / Getty Images Plus
Reddit Reacts
Many Redditors decided that everyone involved was at fault, using the acronym ESH— everyone sucks here.
“ESH. You nailed it. She’s a bit insane and blames it on her star sign. But yeah, pointing this out at her birthday party was bad form,” said one user.
“ESH—anyone who makes their astrological sign their entire personality is an a******,” added another.
However, others sided against the OP, feeling he was the true a******.
“Sure, your wife’s friend sounds annoying, but did you really need to embarrass her and make her feel bad on her birthday?
“If you don’t like her, why even go? You’re not obligated to attend every event you’re invited to.
“It’s no surprise things went south since you clearly struggle to tolerate her. She had every right to be annoyed after waiting 45+ minutes for her order, and you made things worse by speaking up. You ruined her birthday, and she has every right to be upset, even if she is annoying,” one user said.
Newsweek reached out to u/Benandril for comment.
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