My FIL demanded that I pay $6000 for his retirement trip, so my wife and I taught him a good lesson.
My FIL George recently retired and invited the whole family on a cruise to celebrate. Our kids got super excited and packed their stuff a week in advance. We were all looking forward to the trip. Tomorrow was the big day, and George asked me to check my email for the tickets. I opened it and went completely SPEECHLESS.
The email said, “Transfer the money to my account,” and I saw a $6000 cruise bill beside the tickets! I was stunned. How could George expect me to pay such a huge amount without any prior discussion?
Obviously, I confronted George immediately. “What’s this supposed to mean?” I asked, holding up my phone with the email open.
He looked at me with a smug expression and said, “We had a family talk and decided that you should pay for everyone on this trip because you’re doing well financially.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My wife, Emily, who had been listening, jumped in. “Dad, that’s completely unfair. We were never part of this ‘family talk,’ and you can’t just spring this on us last minute.”
George waved his hand dismissively. “Come on, it’s a small price to pay for family. You guys can afford it.”
Emily and I exchanged a look. We knew we had to teach him a lesson about taking advantage of people, even family. That night, we devised a plan.
The next morning, we arrived at the port with our kids, bags packed, and ready to board the ship. George and the rest of the family were already there, excited for the cruise. George approached me, grinning. “Did you transfer the money?”
I smiled back. “Not exactly. We have a different plan.”
He looked confused, and then Emily stepped in. “Dad, we’re not paying $6000 for a trip we weren’t even consulted about. Instead, we’ve arranged a little surprise for you.”
I handed him an envelope. Inside were tickets for a different trip—a luxurious stay at a local resort for him and his wife, fully paid for by us. “Enjoy your time at the resort. It’s our retirement gift to you,” Emily said sweetly.
George’s face fell. “But what about the cruise?”
“We’re still going,” I replied. “We paid for our tickets and the kids’. This trip was your idea, and we hope you understand that it’s not fair to expect us to cover everyone’s expenses without warning.”
George looked taken aback, but he couldn’t argue. The rest of the family stood around, watching the exchange. Some of them looked disappointed, but Emily’s brother stepped forward and said, “Dad, they’ve got a point. You should have discussed this with them first.”
Reluctantly, George accepted the envelope and muttered a thank you. As he and his wife left for the resort, Emily and I felt a sense of relief. We boarded the cruise with our kids, and it turned out to be an incredible trip.
Over the next few days, George must have reflected on his actions. When we returned, he called and apologized for his behavior. “I see now that it was unfair to put that burden on you,” he admitted. “I promise to communicate better in the future.”
Emily and I appreciated his apology and hoped this experience taught him a valuable lesson about respecting boundaries and not taking advantage of family.
In the end, our family grew closer, and George learned that generosity should come with fairness and consideration. And the next time he wanted to plan a family trip, he made sure to include everyone in the discussion from the start.
