My husband, Adam, and I have been married for several years, and we’ve learned to navigate the ups and downs of life together. However, one habit of his has always driven me crazy: his daily hour-long baths. It wasn’t just the time he spent in the bathroom that bothered me, but also the fact that he expected me to handle everything else on my own.
One morning, I had a job interview, and I needed Adam’s help to get the kids ready for school. But when I asked him, he flat out refused, saying his bath was his “sacred escape.” That was the final straw. I decided to take matters into my own hands and teach him a lesson.
I started by making a few subtle changes to his bath routine. I replaced his bath oils with baby oil, which made the tub a slippery mess. I also switched his relaxation music with the kids’ favorite songs, which played at full blast. And to top it off, I turned off the hot water valve, so he had to endure a lukewarm bath.
Adam was not amused, but I was just getting started. The next day, I involved the kids in the prank. We set up a pirate-themed bath, complete with rubber ducks and toy boats. When Adam got in, he was startled by the cold water and the sounds of a pirate battle. He emerged from the bathroom, dripping wet and furious.
But I wasn’t done yet. I had a few more tricks up my sleeve. I rigged the bathroom with a motion sensor that triggered a loud alarm whenever someone stepped into the tub. And to really drive the point home, I enlisted the kids’ help to stage a fake emergency. Just as Adam was about to take his bath, I screamed that the kids were locked in the garage. Adam rushed out to rescue them, only to find that it was a prank.
When he returned to the bathroom, he was met with the blaring sound of an air horn. That’s when I delivered the final blow. I told him that I had replaced his shampoo with hair dye, and that his hair was now a lovely shade of neon pink.
Adam was shocked, but I just grinned. “Now we’re even,” I said. It took a few days to get his hair back to normal, but by then, he had learned his lesson. He started taking quick showers instead of hour-long baths, and he became more involved in helping with the kids and household chores.
Looking back, I realize that my pranks may have been a bit extreme, but they were necessary. Adam needed to understand that our partnership is a two-way street, and that I need his help and support just as much as he needs his relaxation time. In the end, we both emerged stronger and more committed to our marriage. And as for the neon pink hair, well, that’s just a funny story we like to tell.
