We all have that one friend or family member who suffers from a very specific and convenient form of amnesia. They remember every embarrassing thing you did in high school and they definitely remember to order the most expensive item on the menu, but the moment the waiter drops the check, their memory of owning a wallet vanishes into thin air. It is the “oops, I forgot my purse” maneuver, and it is older than time itself. But one woman on Reddit just executed a counter-move so brilliant and petty that it deserves to be studied in history classes.
The drama centers around the Original Poster (OP), a 28-year-old woman, and her 26-year-old sister-in-law, “Amy.” Amy is what we call a professional guest. She comes to visit from out of town, stays at the OP’s house for free to avoid hotel costs, and demands to go to high-end restaurants. That is already pushing the boundaries of hospitality, but Amy takes it a step further.
Every time they go out, Amy conveniently forgets her wallet. Or she comes up with a vague excuse about why her card isn’t working or why she can’t pay her share. She has explicitly implied that because the OP makes more money than her, the OP should foot the bill. Note that she expects the OP specifically to pay, not her own brother (the OP’s husband). The OP admits she makes a decent living, but she isn’t running a charity for entitled in-laws who want to live like Kardashians on a budget.
In the past, the OP has gritted her teeth, paid the bill, and asked for reimbursement. Predictably, Amy never pays her back. It is the classic leech cycle. But the breaking point came when Amy made a reservation at an extremely expensive restaurant. Before they left, the OP set a firm boundary. She made it crystal clear that she would not be paying for Amy’s meal this time.
As they were getting ready to leave, Amy and the OP’s husband went to the car. The OP, channeling her inner sitcom villain, pretended she forgot something and ran back inside. This is where she admits she stole a move straight from an episode of Two and a Half Men, and honestly, if it works, it works.
Inside the house, she found Amy’s wallet sitting right on top of her suitcase. It wasn’t hidden. It wasn’t lost. It was staged. Amy had left it there on purpose so she could pull her usual stunt at the restaurant. So, the OP did what needed to be done. She grabbed the wallet, dropped it into her own purse, and walked out to the car like nothing happened.
The dinner went on, likely filled with Amy ordering appetizers she couldn’t afford. When the meal was over, the OP asked the server for separate bills. Right on cue, Amy protested. She insisted they needed one bill because, surprise surprise, she had “forgotten” her wallet again.
This is the moment of cinematic perfection. The OP reached into her own purse, pulled out Amy’s wallet, and simply asked, “This wallet?”
The silence at that table must have been deafening. Amy didn’t look relieved that her lost property was found. She was furious. She lashed out, claiming the OP had no right to touch or grab her wallet. She tried to pivot the conversation from “I tried to steal a $100 dinner from you” to “you violated my privacy by bringing me the thing I needed to pay for my own food.”
So, is she the ahole? Absolutely not. N-T-A. If you leave your wallet on your suitcase before heading to a five-star restaurant, you aren’t forgetful; you are a grifter. The OP didn’t snoop through her things; the wallet was in plain sight. She simply facilitated the transaction that Amy agreed to when she sat down to eat.
Amy is mad because her con didn’t work. She got outplayed at her own game. Next time she visits, she might want to consider the drive-thru, or better yet, a hotel where she pays upfront. You can’t claim privacy violation when someone helps you avoid theft of services. Bravo, OP. That was savage.