real life

Woman left contemplating divorce after husband machine washes her undies. Again.

Sprinklestar is not in a good place. She’s not speaking to her husband, she’s even contemplating breaking it off. In fact, she’s so out of sorts that she’s turned to strangers on a parenting forum for advice.

And all over a pair of ruined underwear.

Allow her to explain.

“We have been together years, known each other forever. Today, yet again, he washed my hand wash only underwear in the machine and ruined it. I have lost count of the number of times he has done this,” the frustrated wife wrote on mumsnet.

“It is just such a waste and will need replacing. We must have had this scenario every year for the past ten.”

Sprinklestar compared her pickle (of a situation, that is) to the 2016 tale of a man whose wife left him because he kept leaving his dishes on the side of the sink: “Every time she’d walk into the kitchen and find a drinking glass by the sink, she moved incrementally closer to moving out and ending our marriage. I just didn’t know it yet.”

Newly divorced Matthew Fray later realised it was a sign of disrespect that he ignored her request, that he had “acted entitled”.

Sprinklestar’s husband clearly isn’t quite there yet.

ADVERTISEMENT

Looking for some relationship advice? Osher can help. (Post continues below.)

“I can’t stand his incompetence anymore. How hard is it to check a label? And not mess with the stuff in the separate handwash-only basket?

“I am so angry.”

And yes, she knows it might not seem like a big deal, and yes, it’s a first-world problem. But as she and several of the more than 500 comments in the thread pointed out, it isn’t about the ruined knickers.

Repeat offending suggests a disregard for her things, and for her.

“I don’t really know how to respond to his apologies. Yes, it was an ‘innocent’ mistake. But it’s one that is repeated with much regularity. Would he do the same with kids’ stuff? Likely.

“He just doesn’t use his brain, even after we have had countless arguments about this very issue. That leaves me feeling like he can’t be bothered to care.”

What do you think? Is Sprinklestar right to be frustrated, or will it all come out in the wash?

Tell us your thoughts in the comments below or via the Mamamia Facebook page.