Karen’s housewarming party kicked off in the most exciting way. Her new home was beautiful, and everything looked perfect. The centerpiece of the living room was a massive 75-inch 4K TV that seemed to shine in the light. Karen couldn’t stop talking about how amazing it was.
She went on and on about how the picture quality was “unbelievable” and how it was “the ultimate addition” to her home. Everyone around her smiled and nodded, complimenting her, but I was just listening quietly, not thinking much of it at the time.
The party was fun, and everything seemed normal—until near the end of the night when Karen came over to where I was sitting. She had that look in her eyes, like she was about to ask for something.
“So,” she started, trying to sound casual, but her voice had a sharp edge to it, “when can I expect your $1000 for the TV?”
I blinked, completely confused. “Excuse me?”
She let out a big sigh, like I was the one who wasn’t making sense. “I bought the TV as my housewarming gift to myself, and I expect everyone to chip in. It cost $4000, so I’m asking for $1000 from you, Mom, Dad, and my brother.”
My jaw almost dropped. I had to hold back a laugh. “Karen, we didn’t agree to this. We all thought housewarming gifts were something thoughtful, not something the host demands, and definitely not something this expensive.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at me like I was being ridiculous. “But I already bought it! I need everyone to pay me back. It’s not fair if you don’t contribute.”
I took a deep breath, trying my best to stay calm. “Karen, gifts are voluntary. You don’t get to demand money for something you decided to splurge on.”
She didn’t say anything back. I could see her jaw tighten, but she stayed quiet. I knew I had to show her just how outrageous her expectations were.
The next day, I walked into Karen’s house with a box wrapped neatly in bright, colorful paper. Her face lit up when she saw me, and I could tell she was hoping I had come to my senses and would hand over the $1000. “Oh, you didn’t have to,” she said, but I could see the excitement in her eyes as she practically reached for the box.
“I know how much you love your new TV,” I said, smiling as I handed it to her. “So I thought this would be perfect.”
She eagerly tore the wrapping paper off and froze when she saw what was inside. It was a universal remote control. And not even an expensive one—a budget-friendly one, at that.
“Are you serious?” she asked, holding up the remote like it was garbage.
“Completely,” I said, pretending to act innocent. “I figured every TV needs a good remote, and this is within our budget. Thoughtful, right?”
Karen’s face turned bright red, clearly furious. “I asked for $1000, not this!”
I shrugged, playing it cool. “Like I said, Karen, gifts are about what the giver wants to give, not what the receiver demands. This is what I can afford and what I thought would complement your shiny new TV. You should be grateful.”
She just stared at me for a moment, trying to come up with something to say, but there was nothing left. I didn’t stick around to listen to her sputtering. I walked out, feeling completely satisfied that I had made my point.
Later, my husband told me that Karen had complained to the rest of the family. But the funny thing was, everyone sided with us. “She bought the TV without asking anyone first,” his mom had said. “She needs to learn that’s not how gifts work.”
I couldn’t have agreed more. Eventually, Karen stopped asking for money. She didn’t like my little “lesson,” but she never tried to pull a stunt like that again. And the remote? I heard she actually ended up using it, even if she wasn’t thrilled about it.
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