AIBUs from the world of fiction

[ProudAS]

WIBU to report neighbours to social services. Their DS (11yo) is a spoilt brat quite frankly. He's been clinically obese since he was a toddler and thinks the world revolves around him.

Their DNephew (also 11yo) has lived with them since he was a toddler and his parents died. He is quite the opposite of their DS and appears malnourished. I'm getting even more concerned as I haven't seen him for several months and they say he's away at some institution for incurably criminal boys. I can't believe that such places exist and he has always seemed to be a nice boy albeit slightly strange. I've also heard that they lock him in the cupboard under the stairs and make him sleep there even though they have only the one DC and a 4 bed house.

I've a feeling they may be keeping him permanently in the cupboard or worse. Do you think I should contact SS?

[Bogeyface]

Myfavourite try the Transport and General Workers union, they should be able to help. You need a quite mouthy and bossy shop steward though, do you know anyone like that?

[Myfavouritebookis]

Bogey Some of my colleagues have been outspoken before, but then they were locked in a shed all day.

[BathshebaDarkstone]

Mutton, I always had my suspicions about Miss Marple!

[listsandbudgets]

WIBU to send my step daughter to boarding school in Austria?. A lady nearby is setting one up and so far her sister is the only pupil. I don't think she's got any teaching qualifications, she's got no furniture for the school yet and she's only been to Austria once on holiday herself so far as I can make out. Step daughter wouldn't even be able to come home for holidays as its so far. She's a nice woman though and I really don't get on with step daughter - she prefers the cook . DH said it was up to me. I just want some peace and quiet but AIBU to send her so far when the school doesn't even really exist yet?

[Tunna]

Some advice please, I think I've fallen for a man but my family will never accept him. He's a Tory Mp and daddy's the biggest socialist going. Plus he's into hunting and shooting where I love animals. Tried talking to mummy but she's wrapped up in her own world ( think she might be cheating on daddy ) and he's really intelligent, well street smart really, I'm dyslexic. I can cook though, maybe I could make him a cake?

[MotherBluestocking]

Is this a toxic friendship? - advice needed!
My new best friend is really pretty and lives in the poshest house in the neighbourhood. She's convinced that the vicar fancies me but I think he's a pompous git and anyway I've been sort of going out for a while with a really nice guy who lives in a farm not far away. I don't know what I should do - I don't have anyone to talk to as my mum doesn't understand and I've never met my dad. (My friend is convinced he's someone really important, but I'm not sure.)
Anyway, I think the vicar might actually fancy my friend. But as far as I can tell, she's got this massive crush on some long-haired guy she's never met.
It's all so complicated. Should I just bin her and hang out with the girls from my old school instead?

[Cooroo]

I'm staying in the country on this farm. AIBU to be concerned about the DD who flits about the woods all day, the GA who has his thing about woodsheds and the brooding DS and the sukebind? Don't even get me started on the cows...

[Cooroo]

motherbluestocking (or can I call you Harriet?) avoid her like the plague. She has a lot of growing up to do. The farm guy sounds really lovely and the vicar is a complete dickhead. Also your entitled friend will soon suspect you of fancying that local landowner and will de-friend you before you can say 'your dad's a hypochondriac'.

[FoxgloveFairy]

My friend is an elf. Nice chap, massive ears. However, he's always cadging a lift in my little yellow car and seems to like a hat I wear that's blue with a bell on it. He's also often in trouble, and gets me in trouble, with our local police officer. He's a bit racist about a local family as well, I think. Yes, they dress loudly and are mischievous, but still. Just want to know if I'm being unreasonable about his quirks?

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

Yes thanks Bogey, all sorted in the end, thanks to a few wizards and a very nice postman.

[JainaProudmoore]

Yes - mine was the Hobbit!

[MotherBluestocking]

Thanks for the advice, Cooroo (or should I call you Flora?). Funny you should mention the local landowner - he's by far the most sensible person round here and I'd been wondering about confiding in him. Sounds like I'd best steer clear, though!

As for this creepy farm you've found yourself in - well, it does sound a bit of a freak-show. You sound like the coping type, though, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if you managed to calm them all down a bit. Perhaps start with the daughter? I'm sure you could polish her up satisfactorily. And do keep those letters coming - I really appreciate the way you mark the best bits - I'm sure I'd miss them otherwise!

[DrCoconut]

I went out for a nice walk with my family and when I returned the house had been ransacked! Chairs overturned, food missing and to top it all the intruder was still there. She ran away when we walked in. WIBU to press charges if she's caught?

[rosdearg]

AIBU unreasonable to want to buy my granchild (12 months) a new toy for Christmas? All he has is a ball and a teddy, he is very fond of them but I think he might like something else for a change. He has two big sisters who love to play with him so it could be something that needs a bit of supervision or help at first like duplo. On the other hand, when I was over there doing the ironing the other day, I couldn't help but notice that the house is pretty cluttered with the 5 of them already, there is hardly floor space for anything like that. I'm not having a go, they all work really hard and when his mum sits down for 5 minutes she invariably dozes off, bless her. Not sure whether I should get him something else or not, he is so happy with his teddy and his ball.

[FoxgloveFairy]

I live in a rural county, named after a certain season shall we say. It's terrifying. People keep getting murdered here. We have a crack team of middle aged, moderately overweight detectives and young thin ones working around the clock, but it never stops. I'm also sick of hearing spooky music very time someone wanders off home from the pub in the dark or admits a mysterious visitor. Fair warning I know but it's nerve wracking. We have so much here- gourmet food, a university, an observatory, crack medical facilities and brilliant private schools but I think I have to leave. Am I being unreasonable? I have a lovely house, but my elderly relation was hit on the head by a falling gargoyle and squashed, after seeing a headless horseman. This sort of thing happens all the time. Is it me?

[GettingJiggyWithIt]

I am feeling very lonely. I know there are plenty of fish in the sea but I cannot seem to find anyone to hang out with. I think I intimidate those I meet or they could be jealous (I am pretty).
Someone advised me to start buying friends instead by giving all my bling away. AIBU to say stuff that?

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Please help. I rather like this man, but he saved my life in glamorous and risque circumstances, and since then he's been very cautiously showing me he's actually rather well off with an excellent taste in cars and wine. However, he is only 5'9 and I am a tall lady.

Should I marry him, or is the monocle he insists on wearing a deal-breaker?

[FishWithABicycle]

AIBU to refuse to marry this man?

He keeps declaring his love for me and proposing every so often. I'm basically disillusioned with the whole of the male half of the species and don't think I'll ever marry. I've told him I'll sleep with him but won't marry him, but that's not enough for him.

The thing is he basically saved my life, because my bastard ex-(D)P framed me for murder and this "suitor" (for want of a better word) proved it wasn't me. So I'm worried that any relationship we had would be tainted with a weird gratitude/debt dynamic that would be really unhealthy. So I'm keeping him at arm's length, but he's not giving up.

We're going to be seeing more of each other over the next few weeks as I'm doing some research at my old Uni and I know he's going to be around. Should I pre-empt his romantic overtures and ask him nicely to just back off?

[GettingJiggyWithIt]

My wife wants to leave me. We have already booked our family holiday and it cost a fortune. Our ungrateful lazy son doesn't want to go anyway.
My wife thinks we should all go regardless.
AIBU to tell her to take a hike and this is the worst idea ever and try to get a refund... or should I try and make the best of things? I do have travel guides and an itinerary. What would you do?

[FishWithABicycle]

Jeanne we posted at pretty much exactly the same time, are you me? The chap I posted about has a monocle too, is it just coincidence?

[nocoolnamesleft]

I'm worried about a situation at my employer's house. I don't really have any choice about working there, as there are no other jobs up on the moor. The boss is grumpy, and crotchety, and spends long periods away from home. recently, a young girl has joined the household. I'm worried about her: she was recently orphaned in India, but noone appears to be giving her any emotional support at all. She's either left to wander the house, or kicked out to roam the gardens, and sometimes the moor, where she sometimes meets up with a slightly odd local lad, who thinks he's Dr Doolittle. I think she may be suffering from emotional neglect. Even more worrying...I think there may be another child already in the house. At night, even before she came, you could sometimes hear crying. I really don't think it was just the wind.

Should I call ss? Wwyd?

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Well, fish, perhaps you can solve another issue. Personally, I am rather fond of a friend of mine who is excellent company, has pretty feet, and so on. But this bloke I like has an employee he won't get rid of, and frankly I find him to be a bit of a pain. I'm fairly sure he won't adapt to changes over the next twenty years and will be irritatingly the same as ever. He does polish my bloke's shoes up nicely (no euphemism intended), but he's very involved in it all.

Should I stay with my mate, and see where things lead, or put up with the unfortunate plus-one?

[nocoolnamesleft]

I'm worried about what's going on next door. It's always been a bit odd - it appears to be a small girls' school, run by a pair of sisters (not convinced they have any qualifications) in what's really just a large terraced house. I'm not at all convinced that they treat their employees well, and am starting to have suspicions that they're using child labour. But the thing that's really worrying me...one of their pupils seems to be getting treated...oddly. She used to seem really spoilt, but now she's growing out of her old shabby clothes, appears to be sent out on errands in ghastly weather, and looks rather pinched and hungry. I've even heard that she's living in a rat-infested attic. I've never seen her parent visit (though rumour has it that a rather young and dashing military chap dropped her off initially, presumable her dad).

Wwyd?

[FoxgloveFairy]

I have young relative who is an orphan. Due to the fact that he is smelly and dirty, obviously I can't look after him and he had been living in a cosy orphanage. Not too many chimneys to sweep and all the gruel he can manage. Well, he blew it. Greedy oik asked for more and got, quite rightly, thrashed. He seems to have fallen in with a band of similar urchins who are led by a sinister old man and roam about thieving and singing cheerful songs. A very bad crowd. He seems to lack any ambition, and I wonder if I'd be unreasonable to make him go into the workhouse? Be the making of him I'm sure and there'd be no pesky singing or dancing either.

[BelleOfTheBorstal]

My family estate is being levied for taxes that neither I nor any of my remaining family can afford to pay. But my sisters beux is doing rather well for himself.
WIBU to marry him, in order to save the estate?