Annie's Mailbox: My fiance' is playing mean-spirited pranks on his boss, my brother

[cereta]

NB: All of the Annie's Mailbox columns being posted at Arcamax are reruns from a few years ago, but I still find them interesting.


Dear Annie: I am getting married in May. My fiance, "Stan," didn't like his last job, so my brother hired him. Stan has been working there for a year.

I recently found out that Stan has been pulling nasty pranks on my brother. He never mentioned it to me. My brother works alone during the busiest part of the day, with the pressures from sales people, supervisors, repair people, etc. Stan works the evening shift and has a helper, but they are the only two in the building. Still, Stan is apparently upset by things my brother doesn't get to during the day.

I have seen the pictures of the pranks: cutting the fingertips off the gloves my brother uses for his work; putting spray powder and piles of wood on the chair my brother sits in. He hides tools and rags. The list is endless.

I think Stan is being disrespectful and childish. I have never treated his family members with such disrespect. I am upset and disappointed. These pranks are ridiculous and uncalled for, and I am stuck in the middle. My brother is under enough stress. He hasn't said anything to Stan, but his wife told me it takes him an additional 40 minutes every morning to find the tools that are missing and get things ready for his day.

Stan is a 39-year-old man. Should I intervene or let them work this out on their own? My brother has said he doesn't want to come to our wedding. I know he wouldn't miss it, but I'm sad he feels this way. -- Disappointed in Pittsburgh

Dear Pittsburgh: If it were up to us, there would be no wedding for your brother to miss. Stan is an immature idiot. He may think these pranks are funny, but we suspect the only reason your brother hasn't fired him is because he is engaged to you. Tell Stan to knock it off immediately and grow up. If he has a problem with management, he should discuss it like an adult.

Comments

[cereta]

Dear LW:

WHAT THE EVER-LOVING FUCK? First, some of what you describe are not pranks, but destruction of property, and I very much doubt that your brother would put up with all of this for a second if Stan were not your brother.

You and your brother should both DTMF.

[the_rck]

Yes! These are huge flashing danger signs of a person who should not be in your life. Doing this sort of shit to an employer is a sign, not just of childishness, but of active nastiness, either absolute lack of understanding about how to interact with people without being horrible or active malice. You don't want to marry either one even if he's being good to you right now.

I also think... This sounds like someone actively trying to get fired. Will that extend to every job he ever gets? To every responsibility?

[vass]

WHAT THE EVER-LOVING FUCK?

This.

I love a good prank, and none of those things are good pranks.

Here is an example of a good prank. Notice how nothing was permanently damaged, no one was hurt, it only interrupted anyone's work or study for three minutes, and all the effort and trouble and cost involved was on the part of the people playing the prank, and the punchline was not "bad thing happens to someone who isn't me, ha ha."

[watersword]

Oh my god that is amazing and my life is made 100% better by the knowledge of that video's existence.

[jadelennox]

Stan needs to be fired, TMF needs to be D'ed, and LW needs to protect themselves because I don't trust Stan not to get violent.

[minoanmiss]

SO MUCH THIS.