Bare feet in the house

[sheepwitch]

Three people live together. I'll call them Ben, Grace and Norah. All like being barefoot when in the house.

Ben doesn't like the appearance of Grace's bare feet. Ben doesn't generally have any issue with bare feet but used to know someone many years ago that had similar feet and he didn't like those either. Ben says that Grace's feet have "creepy long toes" and that they make him feel uncomfortable and on edge - he likens it to when someone who doesn't like spiders spots one lurking in a corner. Ben acknowledges that it is irrational to have such a strong reaction to a persons feet but thinks that Grace should keep her feet covered at all times (socks/slippers) as an act of courtesy towards him.

Grace doesn't see anything wrong with her feet ("they're just normal size 6 feet!"). Grace resents being asked to keep her feet covered in her own home as if she is some kind of freak in the foot department.

Norah has bigger fish to fry and is not fussed about anybodies feet and just wants a quiet life. Norah can see both points of view and has therefore been lumbered with the role of referee.

So, wise mumsnetters, who is being unreasonable here?

If this is real then everyone involved is very lucky this is the only problem in life they have to contend with

I've just seen TheWordOfBagheera's suggestion. Yes - I think that's fair. If Ben wants Grace's feet covered up, Grace is entitled to insist Ben covers his face. Or perhaps even just his hands. Make him wear big woolly mittens at all times because of his 'creepy long fingers'.

Seriously though. This has sibling power politics written all over it. On no account indulge this special-snowflakery or Ben will know he can get away with it, and will escalate with yet more outrageous ways to make Grace feel awkward and inadequate.

If you're Norah, Ben knew someone years ago with feet he didn't like and Grave has size 6 feet, then none of you are kids. Is Ben your partner?

Either way, Ben needs to grow up and stop being a twat.

Ben is BU.

So are the couple of people who have suggested there's something wrong with being barefoot in the house.

Ben could consider not fucking looking at her feet

This is what I do when I see things I'm not keen on.

Grace could start telling Ben how disgusting his potato toes are.

Better still, Grace could say how gross Ben's mouth is, especially when he speaks and his mouth should remain firmly shut at all times.

Norah should be left alone as should Grace. Ben can go fuck off.

If Ben is your son then you need to do some work there. If Ben is a Man a gift voucher for hypnotherapy sounds like a good idea.

Ben is an enormous wanker. There is something about a man telling a woman that a part of her anatomy (one that he is happy to display himself) isn't good enough to see the light of day that gets right up my nose.

I have long toes. If you like I will come and waggle them at him... For laughs.

We need the op to return

Ben needs to live alone.

Norah should consider to organise a barefoot party and invite lots of women with long toes to toughen Ben up a little bit.

Do the hokey cokey, put your left foot in, and then you take it out, left foot, right foot, shake it all about. Failing the party do the hokey cokey daily with Grace.

I bet Ben is the teenage DD and Grace is the DH.

My xDH had alien feet with extraordinarily long toes.

Hmm, I dunno. I can see Ben's point. Get him some kind of glasses with a ledge that blocks anything at ground level.

I have long toes so feel sympathy with Grace My husband calls them 'salad finger' toes (something from YouTube apparently). When I first met my future brother in law he apparently commented on how long my toes are, which made me feel a bit weird the next time I saw him!

Ben is a dickhead.

I'm guessing siblings as well. I'm visualising the UKIP family on Gogglebox.

They could be Hobbits from the Shire. Much more understandable - such hairy feet.

Ben should wear blinkers at all times in the house and not look in the direction of Graces feet, as he risks undermining the confidence of Graces innocent, carefree, happy, feet, with his evil hatemongering eyes.

Ben needs one of those lampshade collar things dogs and cats get after an operation so he can't see anything below eye level.

I'd walk on my hands if I was Grace to have my feet at Ben's eye level at all times.

Ben is an arse

It's November. It's too cold for bare feet.

Ben is an asshat control freak and if Grace's feet offend his delicate eyes so terribly he must wear a sleep mask at all times around the house.

I have Ben's "phobia". I don't like anyone's bare feet though including my own. My baby's feet I can bear but not so much my older children's. I know it's unreasonable and try to bite my lip when DH parades his bare feet all over the place all the time but sometimes I fail. I wish I didn't notice them but I do and am irrationally repulsed. So what should Ben and I do????