Spouse's Reason for Taking Husband's Work Laptop Without Asking Sparks Fury

A Reddit user has divided opinion after sharing how they borrowed their partner's work laptop to check social media, leading to him unknowingly going to work without it.

The divisive post was shared on Reddit by the user u/Fannest43 on January 11 through the AITA thread, explaining that they wanted to check Facebook so borrowed his laptop, and then "got an angry call from him asking where his laptop was".

"I said I borrowed it to check my Facebook login, but he ranted about how I caused him grief at work by taking it without even asking", the since-deleted post continues. "I reminded him of who bought this laptop to begin with, but he said it was supposed to be a gift from me. True, I felt sorry for him and wanted to get him a proper laptop for work, but is it a bad thing?"

The dilemma has divided opinion because some see it as a minor mistake that was unintentional, others view it as crossing a line.

According to a survey by YouGov America, approximately 30 percent of couples in serious relationships argue once a week or more, while 28 percent argue once a month.

The survey tested 1,000 American couples in 2022 to find out what makes couples argue most. While the results showed that most couples argued over tone of voice or attitude, generating 39 percent of the vote, the second most argued-about category included money and communication styles, cropping up in 28 percent of responses.

With miscommunication appearing to be a common problem that many U.S. couples experience, Newsweek spoke to Teresa Lodato, an author, coach and facilitator who has worked with many couples and individuals to improve their personal lives.

Lodato told Newsweek: "The majority of times couples fall out over seemingly minor discretions is because of lack of communication. This particular situation could have been avoided by the wife simply asking her husband if she could borrow it.

"What typically happens in otherwise healthy relationships is that one or both people are making assumptions about the other without checking in with their partner.

"To remedy this immediately be curious and empathetic towards your partner, seeking to understand where they are in each moment."

The post quickly amassed more than 10,000 comments and 25,000 votes on Reddit from shocked social media users. While there were mixed feelings from commenters, the vast majority sided with the husband and felt the original poster was in the wrong.

A person who goes by u/LadyStuntbear commented: "Imagine having to say to your boss, I'm really sorry that I have to come to work without the proper equipment, but you need to understand that my wife just had to check Facebook".

Another user by the account u/daemin unapologetically posted saying: "It seems like she wants it both ways: she wants credit for buying him a nice gift, but also wants the right to use it when she wants because she bought it. But it's one or the other, either it's his and she needs permission to use it, or it's hers and it wasn't a gift."

Newsweek reached out to u/Fannest43 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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