It can be extremely helpful to have a friend or family member who works in a field that we might need help in, such as cosmetics, plumbing, landscaping, or renovations.
As having these connections could result in paying considerably less for their services than they would normally charge.
Should your relationship with these individuals be strong enough, they might even offer their services free of charge, with certain possible conditions needing to be met.
Naturally, if these conditions aren’t met, it not only might dissuade them from ever offering their services to you again, but could also result in permanent damage to your personal relationship with them.
Redditor Sensitive-Cloud-1489 offered to help his sister renovate her home free of charge, on two very specific conditions.
While the original poster (OP)’s sister technically met these conditions, the OP wasn’t thrilled with the manner in which she fulfilled one of them.
Eventually resulting in the OP effectively going on strike until this was amended.
Wondering if they were out of line, the OP took to the subReddit “Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for telling my vegan sister that I will not remodel her home anymore if she doesn’t serve me meat?”
The OP explained why they refused to continue their pro bono work on their sister’s house:
“My sister bought a home and it needs a lot of work.”
“I told her that I would be willing to do it if she provided food and the materials.”
“I am anemic and fainted a lot as a child.”
“Almost all of my meals have some type of meat in them or are very heavy on protein.”
“This is the problem, the meals my sister have been serving have left me hungry and light headed.”
“The work is labor intensive and me working in the morning to late afternoon usually makes me feel awful by the end of the day.”
“I brought my own food one day and it wasn’t an issue, so I asked she tot make heavier meals that have more protein in them.”
“It hasn’t been working.”
“Yesterday I fainted and after I informed her that I need her to make meals with meat in them or I will not be remodeling things anymore.”
“She thinks I am a huge jerk for asking this one her and I am standing firm on this.”
“I am also not willing to bring my own food since I am going her a huge favor already to remodeled her home.”
“AITA?”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation, by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
When asked in the comments if they would be willing to look for an alternative than their sister cooking them meat, the OP responded by saying:
“I would ask for the true price of the work if I went down that route.”
“This is my hill tbh.”
It was this response that eventually tipped the Reddit community over the edge, leading them to unanimously agree that the OP was, indeed, the a**hole for refusing to continue working unless their sister cooked him meals with meat in them.
Everyone was left more than a little confused by the OP’s behavior, particularly that they didn’t seem more open to compromise, so their sister didn’t have to compromise her own beliefs, or that if they were qualified to renovate their sister’s home.
“YTA.”
“Mainly because meat is not the only way to deal with anemia.”
“Your health issue is not her responsibility.”
“Just bring lunch, it’s not that hard.”
“She can compensate you another way.”
“You say elsewhere that you wouldn’t even accept a compromise, that she cooks or you want to be paid a professional rate.”
“This isn’t about your diet, its about some weird grudge or something.”
“After looking into it, there’s no way that you have the physical capacity and stamina to remodel an entire home but missing one serving of meat makes you faint from anemia.”
“That’s how diabetes and insulin/blood sugar work, not anemia and iron (not protein as you keep insisting).”- Future-Turtle
“Someone asked if OP would take payment instead and OP responded with this.”
“That makes them an a-hole in my opinion so YTA.”
“You know your sister is vegan, and it isn’t reasonable to ask her to cook meat.”
“You’re using your anemia to shadow the fact you have an issue with her veganism and want to bully her.”
“The cost of labor versus cooked meals aren’t 1:1.”
“You’re basically saying you’re willing to give her a massive discount if she disrupts her values for you.”
“I think this is full a**hole territory.”- giantbrownguy
“YTA.”
“I find it kinda impossible to believe that one meal will make or break your hemoglobin or ferritin levels enough to make you pass out.”
“Like I don’t even think the iron is bioavailable quickly enough for it to make a difference the same day.”
“And if you’re riding the line between being able to do physical labor and going unconscious, then you need a blood transfusion or iron supplements at the very least.”
“I am also anemic and have never heard of anything involving protein helping, now iron on the other hand that helps.”
“My dude you either have low blood sugar or you’re lying.”- Imaginary-Bother-750
“They claim that one single meal without meat will make them faint, which is an extremely serious health issue that would have been treated long ago given its severity.”
“Besides, they said in a comment that they refuse to let their sister order food, she has to actually COOK it.”
“Why?”
“Because rage bait, that’s why.”
“Also I’ve been a strict vegetarian since my teenage years with an allergy to medical iron and guess what?”
“I have zero (0) protein deficiency thanks to lentils, chickpeas… like, vegetal proteins are a thing.”
“YTA obviously.”- Listakem
“YTA.”
“Let’s be honest here, you’re lying aren’t you?”
“If you’re anaemic and you’ve been to the doctors and diagnosed you’d be on some kind of iron supplements.”
“You also keep mentioning protein when it’s nothing to do with protein, yeah protein heavy meats usually contain a good amount of iron but you’re asking specifically for protein lol.”
“Source: I am diagnosed anaemic and was instantly prescribed iron supplements.”-Prestigious_Object98
“YTA, I have chronic anemia and eat protein-heavy meals, and either this post is made up or you aren’t managing a medical condition properly.”
“If you’re eating meat at supper and she’s serving you iron-rich veggies and legumes at breakfast and lunch, there’s no way your fainting has to do with meat, especially if paired with anything that has vitamin C.”
“If you can’t avoid passing out while doing heavy labor without having a plate of meat, you need to see a doctor because clearly something is preventing you from absorbing iron properly.”
“Also, why can’t she just pay for door dash?”
“I get it, that you’re doing a generous favor with free labor, but requiring meat and requiring her to make the meat are two different things and one of those is just mean.”- Floating-Cynic
“YTA.”
“You’re anemic but chose to be compensated through meals from a vegan.”
“Commenters have suggested perfectly reasonable compromises, like being reimbursed for meals of your choice, but you’ve refused to consider it and say ‘this is your hill’.”
“Either you have very poor decision-making skills, or this is some bizarre grudge against your sister.”- Disastrous_Donut_206
“YTA.”
“If going without meat for one meal a day is making you sick, see a doctor.”- Illustrious_Rise_204
“YTA.”
“You should respect her lifestyle even if you disagree with it and find a way to exchange services that isn’t forcing her to cook for you.”
“If only we had some kind of currency that we could use instead of bartering that could be used to hire people to deliver us food.”
“I wonder if society invented those things yet.”- Fair_Warning7155
“YTA.”
“Unless the deal she agreed to was ‘cook meat for me and I will do the work’.”
“Your comments give away your unwillingness to compromise.”
‘A food budget or ordering delivery should be acceptable if it’s about your dietary needs.”
“Surely you would rather order food than risk passing out.”
“But it actually seems to be about control.”- Some_Pilot_7056
It is a bit confusing that the OP seems so intent on their sister cooking them meat, knowing that she is vegan, and not just finding another solution.
But as many have pointed out, their health seems like a bigger issue that likely won’t be solved by meat-heavy meals, but requires much more specific medical attention.
Assuming the OP’s sister doesn’t want to wait endlessly for this work to be done, it might be in her best interest to spend some money and hire someone else, as the OP doesn’t appear to be someone who can be easily relied upon.