My husband received something very strange in the post ...

[OnSilverStars]

In the post today, my husband received a letter. It was hand written with his name and address on the outside. No return info. The writing in the envelope is definitely a woman's

Inside is a copy of an "essay" I googled it and it's by Robert Louise Stevenson. It called "on Marriage"

The gist of it is that marriage has lots of ups and downs and requires communication

There is nothing else. No name, just a folded print out of this essay.

Any explanation, other than my fear? I have no reason other than this to suspect anything.

YABU - don't jump to conclusions

YANBU - he's cheated.

I'm shaking. This feels so surreal. I hope I'm overreacting. He's currently at work.

Ps. We open each other's post. We think nothing of it - usually. It's always junk or bills

Your DH response seems credible to me.

I would try to put it out of your mind for now.

Sounds like your husband is as confused as you.

I think all the people who keep insisting it's likely to be JW are missing that the text quoted comes from the writer Robert Louis Stevenson who was a self-declared atheist.

There's no way a JW would choose this text to send to anyone. It's not a moralistic rant about marriage.

It’s JW, no matter how hard you try and pretend it isn’t.

@emilyfrost

It’s JW, no matter how hard you try and pretend it isn’t.

It’s not. HTH.

"it's freaking me out a bit, it's seems really serial killer-y!"

That atrocious photocopying attempt did give me serial killer vibes, who does that??

@CecilyP

I'll probably get dumped on for judging older people but it looks like something an older person would have made at a library or something. Or someone who has a photocopier at home but surely it's rare that people need that nowadays (unless teachers or similar maybe).

Are the libraries even open, or the photocopy shops? Not many people would have a photocopier at home, so the sender would probably still be going in to work. And they would have to own this rather obscure book - it wouldn’t just be on the shelves of your local library!

It’s all very strange!

A lot of modern printers can also scan and photocopy. Mine does all 3, and cost me £27 last year at the end of March last year, just before lockdown, when I could see I'd be working from home (lockdown hadn't been announced at that point but it was obvious what was going to happen)

What would your idea of a non-suspicious reaction have been, toocold54?

Not jumping to a serial killer/stalker idea but then leaving it until after the DCs went to bed to look at it properly.
You either find it creepy and serial killery which you would panic and want to know what it is now or you would think it’s just a mistake and it can wait until later.

@cabingirl

I think all the people who keep insisting it's likely to be JW are missing that the text quoted comes from the writer Robert Louis Stevenson who was a self-declared atheist.

There's no way a JW would choose this text to send to anyone. It's not a moralistic rant about marriage.

Quite

Is there anyone who could be linked to you OP, perhaps an admirer or old flame, that could have sent this to your DH?

@VladimirCutiePutiPie

Is there anyone who could be linked to you OP, perhaps an admirer or old flame, that could have sent this to your DH?

I asked that. He said he didn't think so 🤷🏻‍♀️. I think is he was a cheater he wouldn't be posting mysterious letter he received on social media asking for an explanation 😅

@jasso

Don't say anything about until you've checked his phone and email. If he has cheated, he'll try to delete the evidence.

This is illegal under the Computer Misuse Act, just FYI as people are often told on here to get into partners' emails and phones without permission but it is an illegal offence. They should know that so they can make an informed decision on what to do.

He’s pissed someone off. Not necessarily an OW but someone is making a point.

If it's all about marriage to being perfect and making effort etc then i can't see that as the short of thing an OW would send.

Random act of kindness ?

Yeah he wouldn’t put it on FB if he was cheating but not every man out there cheats. To me it sounds like JW my dad was caught of guard by one once and that was it they sent him all sorts and came to chat every week.

"it's freaking me out a bit, it's seems really serial killer-y!"

That atrocious photocopying attempt did give me serial killer vibes, who does that??

Yeah, if your DH was the intended recipient, it really is creepy!

@NellyJames

Only read the OP but I once had a very similar, handwritten letter reciting the importance of the sanctity of marriage snd how adultery was evil. It was very weird and I thought it had come to the wrong person. A few days later the JWs turned up and asked if I’d read my letter.

I had something similar when I was younger and living with my BF, but it turned out it was my extreemly religious aunt who decided I needed saving from the devil and living in sin!

Yeah I’m thinking one of you has annoyed someone. Might just be someone jealous? Do you post on social media a lot? Could be someone trying to cause trouble.

No way is this JW - they always tell you who they are, they always include a return address which is usually their local Kingdom Hall, they always quote the bible, they only enclose their own literature, and they often refer to their official website.
Anyone saying otherwise doesn’t know the first thing about JWs.

In summary- Not JW.

@OnSilverStars

So. He came in and when I saw his face I felt instantly better because I do really trust him. He played with the kids and then I casually said oh. I forgot! You got this weird letter today. And I showed him. He looked at it and then looked at the back and inside the envelope and he's like, "what is this?" "What else was in it?"

I said nothing that was it. Weird huh.

He said what does it even mean? Who sent it? Asking all the usual questions. He just generally looked puzzled. I said I don't know. So strange isn't it?

I told him I googled it and it was an except from RLS called "on marriage". He's like that's so bizarre. Do you think it's been sent to me by mistake?

Then he said who doesn't just send a link or a screen shot? Who send a photocopy??

Then he said, "it's freaking me out a bit, it's seems really serial killer-y!"

"Who doesn't sign things or put a return address!?"

Then he said I'll read it properly and google it after the kids go to bed

Then he was like, "what if I get another one with something else in tomorrow?! What is I have a stalker" "who do we know in tyneside!?"

And then he helped me make dinner and feed the kids

He's freaked out by it more than anything.

He didn't look guilty at all

Definitely IS NOT JW! Just isn't. Doesn't make sense.

Well none of it makes sense.

If anything else happens I'll post it!

Sorry for the anticlimax

You don’t know it’s not Jw. You’re just assuming it’s not.

@IlovecatsIloveeverykindofcat

Do you know anyone due to get married? Perhaps he's been asked to do a reading.

I love the way your mind works.

I hope that's it.

Sadly I fear not, especially as I'd assume you'd send it by email if it was not designed to cause trouble.

OMG. IT WAS FOR AN EYE TEST FROM WORK 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

I don’t think this is JW either. We got a letter from them this morning. Handwritten envelope to ‘The Resident’ and literature inside clearly related to JW and how to get in touch.

Did he have a bad work related experience in Tyneside and the client is trying to ‘get back’ at him?