Although a man was proud of his wife for working as a gynecologist in a hospital, he was uncomfortable with some aspects of her job. He asked her to do something she couldn't agree to, so he took a drastic measure.
A 33-year-old Reddit user took to the platform to find out if he was being unreasonable in asking his wife to do something before she came to bed every night since she worked in a hospital.
After the man explained the situation, he divided the internet. Some thought he was justified in his request, while others thought he was overreacting to something over which his wife had no control.
A woman in a scrub suit talking to her patient | Source: Getty Images
When the man read through all of the replies, he seemed to gain some perspective and assured netizens that he had taken their advice to heart and would try and come to a compromise with his wife.
What Did the Man Request?
Although the man was proud of his wife for her dedication to her job, she had told him that she was often exposed to a lot of bodily fluids during her workday. This didn't seem to bother the man until he realized his wife had no plans of showering before going to bed after a day at work.
A woman in the shower | Source: Getty Images
The man reasoned that he was uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as his wife if she didn't shower first, just knowing she was exposed to so many bodily fluids at work. He shared:
"I've asked her to take a shower before coming to bed, but she thinks it's unnecessary."
Woman in scrubs with arms crossed in anger | Source: Getty Images
The man's wife felt like he was being unreasonable She argued that she wore gloves and took care not to be contaminated, all the while changing her scrubs regularly. Yet the man still felt uncomfortable at the possibility that he might be exposed to elements he wouldn't want to be in contact with.
What Did the Man Do?
After discussing the matter further, the man's wife firmly told him she didn't want to shower before bed. The man couldn't fathom sleeping in the same bed with her, so he thought of a solution.
A man sleeping on the couch | Source: Getty Images
The man decided to sleep on the couch instead of next to his wife. Although his wife thought he was being ridiculous, he argued:
"I don't want to compromise my comfort and health."
The man asked other Reddit users if he was being unreasonable for asking his wife to take a shower before bed and sleeping on the couch when she denied his request.
The man soon got many responses, most of which told him that even though they understood his point of view, he was being unreasonable. Some even clarified some things to better advise him.
Man and woman talking at a table | Source: Getty Images
One person asked if he had been sick often when sleeping in the same bed as his wife and if he slept on the couch when his wife was coughing or sneezing. The man replied that he hadn't considered these, making him realize that he may have overreacted.
Another person assured the man that hospitals were the cleanest places and that he should look into whether or not he had germophobia. The man then shared:
"We are a very physically affectionate couple. One day after I kissed her forehead, she said, 'I should have told you not to kiss my forehead; there's been some splashing, and I don't think I got it all.'"
The man said he wasn't reassured by the fact that people suggested exploring whether or not he had germophobia but that he would look into it. He later updated his post, saying he realized he was being unreasonable and that he would find a compromise with his wife.
The man admitted that he was overestimating the risk that his wife not showering presented and that he should be able to sleep in the same bed as her after she had spent the day working at the hospital.
While this man was conscious of his wife being clean when she got into bed, another man didn't even care whether or not his house was clean. In fact, his wife had to do all the cleaning without any help or recognition from him. You can find the full story here.