AITA for leaving a repairman a bad review for flirting with my wife?
When the air conditioner broke in the dead of night, what should have been a routine repair spiraled into a nightmare for a wife left vulnerable and alone. The trusted technician’s unexpected and unwelcome advances shattered the safety of their home, turning a simple service call into a harrowing ordeal of fear and discomfort.
Her frantic messages and calls painted a chilling picture of betrayal and violation, as she grappled with the balance between politeness and protecting herself from a predator lurking behind a familiar facade. This story is a stark reminder of how quickly trust can be broken and the courage it takes to face such unsettling moments.
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As renowned researcher Dr. Brené Brown explains, “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” This quote directly applies to the technician's behavior. His actions demonstrated a severe lack of professional boundaries, prioritizing his personal impulses over the professional contract and the customer’s safety and comfort. The wife's decision to tolerate the harassment temporarily to ensure the essential repair was completed highlights a common dynamic where vulnerable parties feel compelled to manage the aggressor's emotions to secure necessary services. The business owner’s response further complicates the issue by minimizing the misconduct, attributing it to "misinterpreted humor" and alcohol use, while simultaneously shifting the blame onto the OP for "threatening" the technician's reputation. This tactic attempts to reframe the narrative from one of customer harassment to one of unfair business criticism. Psychologically, this is a form of gaslighting, invalidating the wife's lived experience and the OP's protective reaction. The primary obligation of any service business is to ensure the safety and integrity of their employees while in a customer's home; the quality of the repair does not erase the severity of the misconduct. The OP's decision to keep the review was appropriate as it provided factual, relevant information regarding a safety concern to the public. Constructively, in future situations, the OP or their wife could have sought immediate third-party documentation (such as calling the police non-emergency line while the tech was present, or immediately calling the company owner while the tech was still on site) to create an immediate, objective record, strengthening their position against later minimization attempts by the business.
THE COMMENTS SECTION WENT WILD – REDDIT HAD *A LOT* TO SAY ABOUT THIS ONE.:
The thread exploded with reactions. Whether agreeing or disagreeing, everyone had something to say — and they said it loud.
The original poster (OP) and their wife were deeply disturbed by the HVAC technician's inappropriate behavior, which involved sexual harassment and an unwelcome offer to stay the night, forcing the wife into a vulnerable position to ensure the repair was completed. The central conflict arises between the OP's responsibility to warn future customers about a serious breach of professional conduct and the business owner's demand to protect the technician's employment and the company's reputation.
Given the technician's clear violation of professional boundaries and the potential danger faced by the wife, should the negative review remain public to serve as a warning to others, or does the fact that the repair was completed and the owner apologized justify removing the review to mitigate personal and professional harm to the employee and the small business?