When my future father-in-law (FIL) handed me a pile of shirts to iron and declared it a test of my worth as a wife, I smiled and accepted. Little did he know, karma had its own plan.
My fiancé, Mark, and I were engaged after three years together. His parents are old-fashioned, especially his father, who believes in traditional gender roles. Despite my efforts to maintain a polite demeanor, FIL’s comments about my career and role as a future wife were a constant source of frustration.
On the day of our engagement party, while I was busy with preparations, FIL called me over and handed me a pile of his shirts. “If you want to prove you’ll be a good wife, start by ironing these shirts,” he said.
A middle-aged man with a pile of clothes | Source: Midjourney
Fuming but composed, I took the shirts and began ironing. FIL hovered around, commenting on how women should take care of their men. His outdated views only fueled my determination. I noticed a bottle of vinegar, not starch, on the ironing board and used it on the shirts, planning a subtle form of retribution.
As FIL proudly wore a freshly ironed shirt, Mark’s mother noticed an unpleasant smell and discovered that FIL smelled strongly of vinegar. She realized it was due to FIL mixing up the bottles. FIL tried to blame me, but Mark’s mother pointed out that it was his mistake.
Guests noticed the odd smell, and FIL became increasingly embarrassed. Mark later apologized for his father’s behavior, noting that no one had ever outsmarted him like this before. FIL never tested future wives again, having learned a lesson in a rather humbling way.
