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AIBU?

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Original poster

Would you find this out of order or just a harmless joke?

127 replies

Sishirunak · 03/08/2022 08:02

I don't drink at all and haven't for years, not because of any alcohol issues, I just react badly to alcohol, can't tolerate a lot and hate being hungover.
Anyway my partner does and I met him and his friend in a bar this week. My partner just had a pint of orange juice which is unusual for him. I asked if it was just orange, he said yes, and told me to finish it as he didn't want the last bit.

I took a drink of it and immediately realised it was beer. They both burst out laughing and had been in on it. I just laughed but looking back do you think this was a bit of a dick move, or was I just being sensitive?

OP posts:
10HailMarys · 03/08/2022 11:51

It was just a sip of something you don't like the taste of it. That's all. A single sip of beer is not going to interfere with your beta blockers or make you unwell.

If you were a recovering alcoholic, or had a severe allergy, or didn't drink for religious reasons, it would have been an awful thing to do. But the only reason you don't drink alcohol is that you don't really like it, so although it's mildly irritating that you tasted one mouthful of a drink you don't really like, it's not some sort of awful betrayal. It's not remotely equivalent to tricking a Muslim into eating pork or giving a vegan a chicken nugget.

I'm not someone who really finds practical jokes/pranks funny at all, but even I couldn't get worked up about this. Given that it was beer and not spirits, and you literally just had a mouthful of it at most, it's not really that different from someone offering you a cup of tea that turns out to be coffee.

(For those who say you couldn't possibly have mistaken a beer for orange juice, there are no beers that look like fresh orange juice, but some of the cloudy wheat beers or craft IPAs might, at a pinch, just about be mistaken for a pint of weak orange squash.)

5foot5 · 03/08/2022 11:53

alnawire · 03/08/2022 11:38

@5foot5

A teaspoon with a hole in it isn't comparable with tricking someone who does not drink alcohol into drinking alcohol.

You have tried to explain to me what a prank is. I wasn't asking what a pranks is, but thanks for giving it a go I guess?

@alnawire
OK we will have to agree to differ.

I view the OP's situation as merely a prank so was trying to explain why some people find some pranks funny.

I do not think getting someone drunk by stealth at all excusable but do not see this as comparable.

alnawire · 03/08/2022 11:56

If you were a recovering alcoholic, or had a severe allergy, or didn't drink for religious reasons, it would have been an awful thing to do. But the only reason you don't drink alcohol is that you don't really like it,

I actually raised this earlier. How awful that posters can only accept this as a wrongdoing if OP has medical/religious reasons. What about the right to make our own choices?

momager1 · 03/08/2022 12:05

there is a beer on tap in my restaurant that is slightly orange tint. It also is served with a slice of orange on the glass. In a dim lit pub on first glance you would think it was juice by the looks of it, but get it close to your face and your nose should be able to tell the difference, but I can see not really paying attention and taking a swig of it.

Mississipi71 · 03/08/2022 12:07

QueSyrahSyrah · 03/08/2022 08:07

If you were a recovering alcoholic it would be a dick move, but I think in this case it's just a bit of a not-very-funny joke.

Out of interest what kind of beer looks exactly like Orange Juice?!?

All of this.

momager1 · 03/08/2022 12:07

sorry, here it is. it is def more orange tint than other tap beers , and the slice of orange that it is recommended served with also lends to the "orange" look.

Would you find this out of order or just a harmless joke?
SirenSays · 03/08/2022 12:08

Totally baffled how you didn't smell it was beer. This wouldn't bother me at all, but then I'd see it as a harmless joke, not humiliation, or an attempted poisoning like some pps seem to think it was 🤣

GreenManalishi · 03/08/2022 12:16

The point isn't whether you should have realised it was beer not orange juice. You feel a bit embarrased and ashamed because you didn't realise and they laughed at you, like a pair of schoolboys. I'd be a bit puzzled if my DH did this, not so much of one of my kids did it.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 03/08/2022 12:21

Unless there’s a massive backstory I’d think it was a pretty harmless joke considering you don’t have any alcohol issues and noticed right away. I’d also think most beers don’t look much like orange juice, they probably didn’t believe you were genuinely that gullible to think he’d just order a pint of orange juice. A sip of alcohol isn’t a big deal. It would be different if he’d disguised alcohol in a drink and tried to trick you into drinking it to get you drunk or similar, but presumably he knew you would realise after the first sip. It’s a childish prank like putting salt in someone’s water etc but not a big deal unless there is more to the story.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/08/2022 12:25

alnawire · 03/08/2022 11:56

If you were a recovering alcoholic, or had a severe allergy, or didn't drink for religious reasons, it would have been an awful thing to do. But the only reason you don't drink alcohol is that you don't really like it,

I actually raised this earlier. How awful that posters can only accept this as a wrongdoing if OP has medical/religious reasons. What about the right to make our own choices?

People are saying it would be worse as it would affect her health. If she was a recovering alcoholic it could be a sip that destroys her life. If she was allergic, it could kill her.

The fact that she chooses not to drink and will come to no ill health from the tiny sip of beer is the main difference here.

It's like offering someone a sweet without telling them it's sour.

jetadore · 03/08/2022 12:25

Sishirunak · 03/08/2022 08:09

I do also take beta blockers which are probably not good to mix with alcohol

I don’t think one sip is likely to cause you any issues. But really the ‘joke’ depends on whether this kind of thing (pranking each other) is normal in the relationship and you like this kind of ‘banter’. If not then you’re right to be annoyed.

alnawire · 03/08/2022 12:43

People are saying it would be worse as it would affect her health. If she was a recovering alcoholic it could be a sip that destroys her life. If she was allergic, it could kill her.

The fact that she chooses not to drink and will come to no ill health from the tiny sip of beer is the main difference here.

You are completely missing the point about it being her choice. It's not up to her DH or anyone else to decide 'a tiny sip' won't harm her. She does not drink alcohol. She has chosen not to. That should be respected.

It's worrying the amount of posters advocating for ignoring a woman's choice and doing whatever they choose because she will 'come to no I'll health' - there is a wee red flag in there...

MumMumMumMumMum1 · 03/08/2022 12:58

orangeisthenewpuce · 03/08/2022 08:26

I'm in the minority here obviously. If my husband had done this to me I'd have thought it was funny. And I wouldn't have minded being laughed at and I'd have laughed too.

Are you normally teetotal?

I can only assume the people who think it’s funny generally like a drink now and then so genuinely wondering.

TheWayoftheLeaf · 03/08/2022 13:00

What bear looks like OJ though?

Quitelikeit · 03/08/2022 13:04

Quite obviously a prank with no malicious intent.

Try not to look too much into it!!

TheWayoftheLeaf · 03/08/2022 13:05

So in my view, I wouldn't be that bothered. It was immature, but it was a sip, it wouldn't hurt you and Surely you just spit it out and call him a twat and move on?

But that's me, if it is a massive issue for you then tell him and make him understand.

Im surprised you didn't smell the difference too tbh.

alnawire · 03/08/2022 13:09

Why are people faulting to understand it does not have to 'hurt' OP for it to be wrong?

My DD hasn't eaten meat for years, I could 'prank' her into taking a bite of a burger - would that be ok, because it wouldn't 'hurt' her?

Of course it wouldn't.

OP has chosen not to drink alcohol. Her DP should be her biggest supporter, not acting the clown like a 12 year old.

alnawire · 03/08/2022 13:10

TheWayoftheLeaf · 03/08/2022 13:00

What bear looks like OJ though?

Paddington with marmalade on his face Smile

OneTC · 03/08/2022 13:12

Loads of beers look and even smell like citrus.

Perfectly believable imo

TheWayoftheLeaf · 03/08/2022 13:14

@alnawire thank you, I was trying to think but you're right Paddington is the answer 😂

WelliesandWine88 · 03/08/2022 13:15

Wow! A very disrespectful, distasteful 'joke'.
I'd actually question the relationship!

OneTC · 03/08/2022 13:27

It's not about the potential health impacts for me it's someone who doesn't understand that what you choose to put in your body (and when) isn't their decision to make.

I say this as someone who likes and enjoys alcohol

fairycakes1234 · 03/08/2022 13:29

TiniestClanger · 03/08/2022 08:04

That’s a dick move - both tricking you and laughing at you with his mate.

Is he normally this horrible? Might be time to get rid.

@TiniestClanger okay it wasnt the funniest thing he ever did, but to get rid? bit extreme :)

fairycakes1234 · 03/08/2022 13:30

Quitelikeit · 03/08/2022 13:04

Quite obviously a prank with no malicious intent.

Try not to look too much into it!!

agree

livinchina · 03/08/2022 13:31

It doesn't sound like they were 'in on it' in the sense that it was planned. Probably more just that they knew it was beer. It 's juvenile but not the end of the world. A mouthful of beer won't hurt you, it's not like you're a recovering alcoholic.