MIL - Who is being unreasonable?

[GivenchyDahhling]

(Just to say this is not a usual MIL thread. Although my MIL is a PITA in a myriad of ways, this is fairly lighthearted although I actually feel kind of sorry for her).

So. MIL (let’s call her June) goes to two bridge clubs, Monday night and Tuesday night. On a Monday night, she gets a lift from her friend who we will call Graham. Graham is, apparently, always moaning about something and I think they have nice little quarrels in the car but, of course, June being June obviously thinks nothing of it.

Anyway.

Yesterday afternoon, Graham rang June and said to her terribly sorry but (someone - friend of Graham ) had tested positive for the old ‘rona, he was isolating and unfortunately wouldn’t be able to drive her to bridge

BIL was at June’s and, feeling that June shouldn’t miss out, offered to drive her.

Well - and I think you can all see where this is going - who do you suppose was there already when June arrive?

It was, of course, that treacherous bastard Graham.

Cue a very awkward evening where June and Graham were pointedly ignoring each other.

Now, my DMIL is not one to be snubbed. Oh no. When she got home she was RAGING. She did, perhaps because of the late hour, decide to sleep on her rage.

The next day - today - she got to work. She rang EVERY SINGLE person in the bridge club individually to inform them of what a two faced lying shitbag Graham was.

After that, she then rang every other mutual connection of theirs. The contractor she recommended to him? Got a call. Her hairdresser? Got a call. The gardener they share (and his dad?) Got a call.

So it’s safe to say that Graham might find himself something of a social pariah come next Monday.

Now I know how MN feel about CFs and lifts generally. I don’t think MIL is a CF, I think Graham lives up the road and offered the arrangement (and, besides, it’s about a 3 minute drive but MIL can’t walk more than a few steps unaided so wouldn’t be able to get there (she has a car but has developed a bit of a fear for it, she’s in her 80s.) I suspect the reason Graham lied is because she drives him up the wall and he wanted out of the arrangement. But it was also a pretty stupid lie and obviously quite embarrassing for her - but bad enough for the nuclear reaction?

YABU - June is a classic CF, Graham obviously had had enough of her and is perfectly within his rights to make any excuse he wants to get out of the arrangement and June is being vindictive and OTT

YANBU - Graham was being a dick to an elderly lady, he got caught out of a stupid lie when he should have just been honest if he didn’t want to drive her and June is perfectly within her rights to seek petty revenge

@Kite22 I think before FIL passed away (coming on ten years now) he would have talked her down. But she does have form for the nuclear option, I think she was one of maybe 7 or 8 and at various points in DH’s childhood they were cut off, there ended up only being 1 or 2 siblings that she was still in contact with up until their deaths (1 brother is still alive but no contact - but we won’t get into that, that’s a whole other thread 😬😬)

To be fair @hotmeatymilk the gardener’s dad helps him out with the gardening now and again so that’s the rationale behind that.

Perfectly reasonably once I explain it no doubt 😊

Graham's an idiot and a coward. "Sorry I'm finding it a bit too much driving you every week. Could you find a other arrangement please?" Ends it without getting him grassed up to his dad, plumber and butcher 🤣
June I don't think was really doing anything wrong accepting a lift when it's such a short distance, and I think she's bloody hilarious for telling every single person they know. But I might not have felt the same if I was actually involved.

June is an amazing force of nature. Graham is completely spineless. I'm team June!

When June arrived at Bridge she should have exclaimed very loudly, 'but Graham why are you here, you have tested positive for Coronavirus!'. And watched him squirm...

I would say MIL is like a Daily Mail bingo card of ‘isms, except she stopped her subscription to the Mail several years ago because it got too left wing and now only reads the Express.

So she’s a racist twat? Fuck her, well done, Graham.

@honeygriff

June is an amazing force of nature. Graham is completely spineless. I'm team June!

Why are you celebrating a racist?

Omg she sounds legendary

@GivenchyDahhling I had to read the OP out to my husband and I was in fits of giggles snorts the lot, we bloody love wee June 😂😂😂
Get tore intae that bastard Graham Juney, we await the next instalment in June's life please please give us more of June OP.

She's not BU, the oldies know how to handle a CF and she did it well 🤣🤣

I love June!

Are you planning on taking up bridge so that you can get arch next Monday’s showdown live?

#fearthewrathofJune

All depends on how thick Graham is really. I mean if he comes across as a prat, then grand. But if he doesn't then it's a really stupid excuse and being caught out is inevitable unless the whole of the bridge club was actually in on it....... like surely someone said hello Graham where's June, and then how do you not query that when June rocks up?

@Unsuremover

I am #teamJune but only because so many people write off women once they get old. I bet Graham was expecting her to take it lying down and just go to bed with Horlicks and a book instead of setting out to eviscerate him. May also because my mums aunt at a similar age set about a judge at the county fair who had marked my mum down for using a coloured napkin (when it wasn’t specified on the instructions) including the fact that his wife was having an affair and the judge himself ran away from thr war. No one wanted to tackle the white haired old lady so she just kept going.

I hear this. I absolutely think June is a bit bonkers for ringing round everyone she knows but I also think that Graham basically made a crap excuse which was bound to get found out about later, and expected June to go along with it when she knew. And I have a total sneaking delight in her for completely failing to follow that script.

Unsure, maybe your mums aunt is related to June! Because that’s a bit legendary.

I sadly don’t have quite the relationship with MIL to be calling her up for all the drama Monday night.

But DH is taking DS to see her early next Tuesday morning so I’m sure I will have the update then (assuming Graham doesn’t come round begging her forgiveness prior to that of course).

@hotmeatymilk

Phoning the gardener’s dad is what elevates it from madness to fine art.

If we all wait long enough June will no doubt work her way through the entire telephone directory and we'll all get a call about Graham sooner or later.

I'm kind of on his side actually. She sounds like a difficult person to have in the car (or anywhere else) and I'm not surprised he wanted to ditch her, but he was clearly out of his depth in how to best go about it without getting caught.

Team June all the way 💪

@TotallySuper

YANBU June sounds like a little legend

Yup, team June all the way.

@GivenchyDahhling

To be fair *@hotmeatymilk* the gardener’s dad helps him out with the gardening now and again so that’s the rationale behind that.

Perfectly reasonably once I explain it no doubt 😊

Well now that the contact with her Gardener's dad has been totally and utterly justified

I have to agree NU at all

🤣🤣🤣

[quote GivenchyDahhling]@GoodGrief100 June is originally from Walthamstow and “knew the Krays”.

Like every other person from Walthamstow of her age 😂[/quote]
I know about 8 elder family members who were right in there with Violent 😄

Both MIL and Graham are BU.
Your MIL was OTT. I think Graham was terrified of her, but a coward to not just stop giving her a truthfully.

@hotmeatymilk

Can we get June on Mumsnet please?

Indeed, do sort June out with MN and set up an account for her.

I love June. She needs her own show.

He shouldn't have lied, and gone! Pretty stupid on his part. However June shouldn't be ringing everyone up!!! I think she shouldn't get any.more lifts from this guy, book a taxi both ways next time.

@Nc123 maybe but most of my family think Corbyn panders too much to thr media and should get back to his roots, so unless a bluff to protect June, I think I would remember the bust ups if someone stepped out from under the red flag. I just think old ladies tend to give no shits.

So, does Graham know about any of the calls?