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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AITA for not helping a friend?

158 replies

RWat378 · 18/11/2025 17:47

I need to know if I’ve been unreasonable with my best friend…. 3 weeks ago, my she called me at 10pm. I don’t usually pick up at that time but her dad has been quite poorly so I was concerned something had happened. She asked if I was in bed and I said yes. She then said there was a big spider in her bathroom and asked if I would come and get it out of the house for her. We’ve been friends for 20 years and I’ve gone every time she’s asked me previously, however, my toddler had been poorly for a few days and me and my husband had barely slept. I get up at 5.30am for work, and she lives a 15 minute drive away, so it’s likely it would have been 45 minute round trip and I wouldn’t get back until around 11pm. I asked where her cats were (they’ve been handy at getting spiders for her the last couple of years) and she said “they’ve gone to bed for the night”. I asked her to get the cats out of bed to try and get the spider, if that didn’t work and she was still desperate, to call me back and I would go over. I didn’t hear anything else that night.

I messaged her the next day to ask how she got on but she sent a “fine” response. I messaged her again a few days later and she said she was really upset with me for “fucking her off” and also said “I’ve never felt so alone in that moment”. I apologised and explained to her why I was so tired that night, so asked her try something else before getting me out of be, but she didn’t want to hear it and stopped responding to my messages. 3 weeks later, she still hasn’t been in touch. I’ve tried to see things from her POV but I guess I just don’t understand how she’s fallen out with me over this! I hate the silent treatment and find it cruel and manipulative but now I’m wondering if I really have been unreasonable?

OP posts:
gamerchick · 18/11/2025 20:59

YABU for ever doing a 45 minute round trip to catch a ruddy spider in the first place OP.

Never let someone get so dependent on you.

cinnamonda · 18/11/2025 20:59

QueenClinomania · 18/11/2025 17:51

Utterly ridiculous.
Don't entertain this ridiculousness.
Leave her to her tantrum.
When she stops sulking send her a link to spider catchers on amazon.

This ^ some silly entitled friend you got there.

TheCurious0range · 18/11/2025 21:03

My cat would be thrilled to be woken up for a spider snack, they're his favourite, we work as a team I lift him up near the ceiling and he eats them

sonjadog · 18/11/2025 21:06

This is utter nonsense. I wouldn't have tolerated this for a moment. I find it hard to believe a grown woman could be so silly.

Seelybe · 18/11/2025 21:06

@RWat378 yes, you have enabled this behaviour in the past but things change. Life gets busier, you work and have a young child now. Your friend sounds selfish, childish and entitled to expect this of you in the first place and then to sulk when you didn't jump. Even long friendships can run their course and maybe thar time has come.

Well1mBack · 18/11/2025 21:08

YADNBU!!! This is the most batshit thing I have ever heard in a long time.

Your friend is a lunatic. And also, not really a friend! Let her stew. The main character vibes are strong with this one...

Edited to say yanbu

k1233 · 18/11/2025 21:09

Tell her to get a can of bug spray and spray it. You don't have to be close to kill them.

I'd be pissed she didn't want to disturb the cats but was happy to call you in the middle of the night.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sympathetic. Personally I'm terrified of frogs/toads and grasshoppers. I've kept the neighbours in fits of laughter trying to remove a toad from the dog's wading pool. Utterly terrifying but I'm an adult and eventually got it done.

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 18/11/2025 21:19

lol! Nice try!

Cardinalita90 · 18/11/2025 21:23

Could it be she's projecting her anger and fear over her dad's health onto you and spidergate? It's not right but it's such an overreaction there's probably something deeper going on.

Pricelessadvice · 18/11/2025 21:24

Tell her to shove the spider up her arse!
What an awful ‘friend’ she is. Honestly, I’d be cutting her off.

Cosyblankets · 18/11/2025 21:25

What on earth did i just read?
No
No and more No

Silverbirchleaf · 18/11/2025 21:31

Can’t believe what I’ve just read. She needs to get get big girl pants on and learn how to deal with them, or sleep in another room.

You don’t contact a mother of a recently poorly (or not poorly) toddler, who you know gets up at 5.30am, to remove a spider!

(and please don’t enable this batshit ( or spidershit) behaviour in the future).

Ericeric · 18/11/2025 21:36

You’ve stopped dancing to her tune so she’s blanking you.

This is not a friendship.

Figsaregood · 18/11/2025 21:40

I wonder what she would have done if you were away on holiday ?

Ooodelally · 18/11/2025 21:44

She’s an unhinged, entitled numpty and you are well rid! I can’t remember the last time I heard of anything so entirely pathetic… don’t rekindle this friendship she’s an absolute liberty taker and she’s making a mockery of your good nature.

Delphiniumandlupins · 18/11/2025 21:50

You have done your friend a massive favour, she has had to work out another strategy for getting rid of spiders.

bluefluffytrees · 18/11/2025 21:52

So last year around midnight, I spotted a massive spider in the bathroom and I called my DP who had left mine on his E bike a few hours before - He rode over, a 40 minute journey to kill the spider and then went back home. I was so grateful in that moment. But I couldn’t believe he actually came. I just thanked him again of the back of this thread. You’re not her boyfriend And youve gotyour own family your own commitments and your own life.

lizzyBennet08 · 18/11/2025 22:05

Honestly i get being afraid burger behaviour is outrageous. You are well rid.

gamerchick · 18/11/2025 22:07

Feel well sorry for all these spiders people think it's ok to kill. Poor little buggers.

join a spider page somewhere and learn a few things to sort it out or something.

BuckChuckets · 18/11/2025 22:10

RWat378 · 18/11/2025 18:44

Over the years… many times. I once went over when I was 8 months pregnant just to scrape a dead spider off her floor because she thought it might still be alive after the cats had got it. Perhaps I’ve enabled it by always going when she’s asked.

You definitely have enabled this absolute ridiculousness, but hopefully you can stop it from now onwards!

Cadenza12 · 18/11/2025 22:12

Can't imagine asking anyone to do this, she's being more than ridiculous. Btw you can buy vaccum things from Amazon that allow for safe capture and release at a distance. Works for wasps too.

whynotwhatknot · 18/11/2025 22:20

so youre only a friend when useful to her?you need to rethin this relationship

Gettingbysomehow · 18/11/2025 22:24

I bloody well wouldn't be getting out of bed for that under your circumstances. I'd just tell her to hoover it up.
When you are an adult you have to deal with these things.
If it was a potential break in or a stalker yes but a spider? Ffs. She needs to grow up.

JLou08 · 18/11/2025 22:25

YANBU, she is very self-centred.

Bungle2168 · 18/11/2025 22:29

…and you are as bonkers as her for even considering entertaining her lunacy.

I, for one, would have told her to shove that spitter right up her ~.