Redditor Asks If He's An A**hole Because When His Brother Adopted A Baby He Asked If It Was A Dog Or A Cat
Sometimes, a Reddit post is just too good to be left in the past. Sometimes, it just needs to be revisited and appreciated once more.
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And that's what the Best of Redditor Updates subreddit is all about - revisiting Reddit posts that may otherwise have been forgotten. Recently, Reddit user u/LucyAriaRose reposted a story that was originally posted in the AITA (Am I The A**hole?) subreddit by u/WesternDependent913.
The original post was from December 2022, and it was about a very charming and rather embarrassing moment that happened to the OOP. He explained that his brother and his husband had recently adopted a son.
The OP said it happened very suddenly, and although the family knew they were beginning the adoption process, he thought it would be a long while before a baby came along. The OP said he thought there would be much more of a lead-up to the actual event.
So, when OOP's brother called to say, "Congrats, you're an uncle, you have a little nephew," the Redditor was taken by surprise. And he answered, "Oh nice, did you get a dog or a cat?"
The Redditor said his brother was silent for a moment before saying, "A human baby, we adopted a baby boy." Of course, OP felt terrible and said, "Oh, that was fast!"
When the Redditor's mother heard the story, she was horrified. And the OOP said that his brother's husband seemed to be annoyed with him.
OP said that he is not neurotypical and sometimes finds it hard to recognize sarcasm. So, he wondered whether perhaps they were just teasing him or whether everyone really was mad at him for his comment.
Later, the OP came back to his post with an update. He said he spoke to his BIL and apologized, but they said they weren't mad and thought it was actually quite funny.
The OP also asked about the pause during the phone call. His brother said he was trying to decipher if OOP was trying to make a joke or if he was being serious.
So, as it turns out, no one in OOP's family was upset with him. They were just poking fun and making light of the situation.
The OP said he was considering buying a stuffed dog for his new nephew to keep the joke going. He also explained how he had had many similar misunderstandings growing up, particularly concerning sarcasm.
Of course, the Reddit community found this entire story utterly endearing. Keep scrolling to see how they reacted.
The OP explained that his brother and his husband had recently adopted a son.
The Redditor said he thought there would be much more of a lead-up to the actual event.
So, when OP's brother called to say, "Congrats, you're an uncle, you have a little nephew," the Redditor was taken by surprise. And he answered, "Oh nice, did you get a dog or a cat?"
When the Redditor's mother heard the story, she was horrified.
Later, the OP came back to his post with an update.
He asked about the pause during the phone call. His brother said he was trying to decipher if OP was trying to make a joke or if he was being serious.
So, as it turns out, no one in OP's family was upset with him. They were just trying to make light of the situation.
Here's how people reacted.
"You're kidding."
"Can totally relate."
"Be self aware and own up to yuor flaws, even if it was nothing but love in the intention."
A harmless misunderstanding.
"This is hilarious."
Words can be funny.
"Are you going to keep it?"
It happens.
It could have been worse.
"Oooh, is that a kitten?"
"I'm so amused by this whole thing."
Kittens are babies, right?
"So delightful."
Okay, but safety first.
It's not an unreasonable assumption.
This is some cute s**t!
"Adorable."
What's your take on this situation? Do you think the OP was being insensitive with his response or was it an innocent misunderstanding?
Either way, it's clear that the OOP felt terrible about his comment. He went out of his way to clear the air with his brother and BIL.
We would love to hear your opinions on this. You can share your thoughts with us in the comment section.