Woman runs into boss while buying bulk supply of toilet paper, has a meltdown. AITA?
"AITA for laughing at my cousin after she had an absolute melt down after her boss saw her buying toilet paper at Costco?"
Putesfhk
Yesterday I tagged along with my cousin on her trip to Costco. She has always been very high strung but for the most part we were having a nice time. As we were in the check out line a very pleasant man in his 50s or 60s and said hello. My cousin introduced him as the man who owns the company she works for.
I sort of stood by as they had normal small talk and he even complimented her on helping out with a huge sale even though she’s not in sales and said he said that they were still working out what the bonus was going to be but it was going to be more than they initially thought. I mean all and all, it seemed like a great interaction to have with a boss when you see them out in public.
Shortly after he left she started almost hyper ventilating saying “oh my god, oh my god, I can’t believe that just happened.” I had no idea what she was talking about and then she started saying “we have to leave, we have to get out of here, that was horrible.”
I said I had $300 worth of groceries and I can’t come to Costco, I can’t leave. She actually walked away and sat down in the food court and I was still so lost but her leaving caused an even bigger scene because I had to go find her because the needed to scan her membership card.
She was in absolute hysterics at this point and even the cashier asked if she was ok and if they could get her some water. We paid and walked out and she appeared to be so physically weak I told her to lay down in the back seat and I would load everything and drive.
As I was driving I finally asked her what was going on and she screamed at me “my boss just saw me buying toilet paper!!! Do you know how humiliating that is?” I actually thought I misheard her so i said “wait this whole thing is over toilet paper?”
She screamed “yes I’m probably going to get fired!!” I asked her if she seriously thought she was going to get fired for buying toilet paper. She said yes that she can’t let anyone at work know her private life.
I told her I doubt he even noticed and I also doubt he thinks about her bathroom habits, but he also probably assumes she does her bathroom business like every one else. Then she screamed back “your job is so easy, you couldn’t possibly understand how much pressure I’m under at work…I’m going to lose it.”
At this point I lost it and started laughing harder than I knew was possible. Not only was it ridiculous but I felt like she was attacking me and instead of going back and forth i felt finding the humor was the way to go.
she said “you’re actually laughing at me? You are such an ahole. I do you a huge favor and you’re laughing at me?” She got to my house and dropped me off and sped off with my groceries.
I called my aunt to make sure they got at least put in fridge but my aunt said my cousin overreacted but I’ll probably need to apologize to be able to get my stuff. AITA?
Here were the top rated comments from readers in response to the OP's post:
SunshineShoulders87
Holy moley, your cousin uses TOILET PAPER?!? As in… she goes to the BATHROOM?!?! Yes, she’ll definitely get fired as her boss will never be able to look at her without imagining her on the toilet. So sad, but she’s the only person in the entire world who produces bodily waste and it’s just too difficult to get our minds around that.
Obviously, NTA, as that’s stupid AF, but perhaps you invited her rage by making her feel every ounce of the stupidity she deserved. She was clearly overreacting, but, unless she’s a known faker, those huge feelings were real and she probably felt like she deserved to keep the shred of dignity she had left after making such a scene.
dunks615
NTA. Your cousin needs serious therapy to learn to manage her anxiety. She’s wildin and this is objectively hilarious everyone poops 😂.
(Someone with GAD and other anxiety disorders)
InviteAdditional8463
Before I got diagnosed with anxiety I was aware of it, I knew how anxious I’d become, and all of that. I figured that was perfectly normal (I’ve never been anyone but me so I don’t really have a good comparison). It wasn’t until my wife pointed out how bad it was, and how it affects me that I started to think that maybe it wasn’t perfectly normal.
Maybe she just doesn’t realize how bad her anxiety is? Regardless she needs professional help and soon. Even if boss noticed I doubt he’d say anything. However with bad anxiety she might feel the need to clear the air which would force the issue.
Fun_Spite_2266
NTA. That is the reaction of someone who wants attention. Like, no reasonable person would react like this. Good god.
neobeguine
Wildly out of control anxiety could do this while the person very much does not want attention. Doesn't excuse the meltdown, we are all responsible for our own behavior, might explain it.
Thunderplant
If she is humiliated by the idea of her boss seeing her buy toilet paper I can’t even imagine the level of embarrassment she felt over what came next. She’s completely unreasonable and needs to get it together, but this doesn’t seem attention seeking at all. Much more like someone having an actual break down.