“AITA I left my boyfriend and went on a trip with our friends?”
That’s the question, posted on the r/AmItheAsshole subreddit, that has had users gagging for the past eleven days as their search for an answer continues (though the general consensus is that the poster isn’t an idiot).
A little context, as first reported by Travel Noire: The Original Poster (OP) has been living with her boyfriend, Paul, for three and a half years. Paul is allegedly notorious for forgetting important documents, and after doing so several times, the OP took full responsibility for all of his documents.
“According to him, all documents have a digital version and that’s enough, not all are digital (passports) and not all countries accept the digital form, but he is stubborn and maintains this position. I have no problem being responsible for the documents and in most cases I have them in my bag”, she wrote.
Things got worse on one occasion when Paul realized he was asking for his physical documents, which the OP had at work while at work. “He gave me a big scolding, saying that their documents should be at home and told me not to ‘keep’ his documents. I handed him his paperwork and told him I would no longer be responsible for it or warn him about it because I was doing a favor for someone I love who is a capable adult (27),” she continued. .
That said, when it was time for OP and Paul to take their international New Years trip, guess who didn’t have his passport? You found it. According to the OP, Paul tried to drive home to pick up the forgotten passport, but home was two hours away and Paul missed his flight. The OP, who had chosen not to go with him, did not.
“Long story short, he didn’t arrive on time and I decided I wasn’t going to miss my trip because of him. I turned off my cell phone and made my 12-hour journey,” she wrote. Consequently, Paul accused him – in not so many words – of being a fool.
Now, in mine family, I’m not necessarily the full-time ID holder, but I am the travel planner. Typically, this includes choosing a destination, doing all the preliminary research for that destination, booking flights and reservations, and obtaining and maintaining all necessary documentation until check-in. In short, all my boyfriend has to do is show up at the airport on time. I don’t blame him for that either. It’s a smooth process that getting involved is only likely to hinder it. That being said, if in a fit of rage he asked for his passport and then forgot that same passport before an international jaunt I had fully planned for him? He’s the idiot, period – a sentiment most reddit users apparently share.
“What he has done and continues to do is called armed impotence and it is a disadvantageous situation for you no matter what you do. Keep your phone off and enjoy your ride,” one user replied.
Further, a 2019 Priority Pass study of just over 1,500 UK travelers found that men are more than twice as likely to forget their passport as women, with 8% of men admitting that they forgot their passport, compared to only 3.78% of women – so it stands to reason that the OP is not the first person to find themselves in such a situation. However, the real striker?
“I always make a list for our trips of what to take, his passport was on the list and he still forgot it,” the OP later edited her post to read.
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