My boyfriend wants to be served his dinner
The user, a 31-year-old woman, enjoys cooking elaborate and complex dinners for her 42-year-old partner of several years. She views the act of cooking and preparing meals as a significant act of service. The issue arises after the meal is ready, when she calls him to the dining area.
He immediately sits down without getting cutlery, condiments, or drinks, leaving her to manage these final steps while feeling overwhelmed, despite having previously mentioned this to him.
She is now questioning if her request for him to handle these tasks while she finishes serving makes her unreasonable.
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The original poster (OP) feels frustrated because her partner resists a small request to help with the final stages of meal service, which she sees as a necessary addition to her significant effort in cooking.
Her partner views the request as new and unnecessary, leading to a conflict where she feels her needs regarding shared task completion are being dismissed.
The central question is whether the OP is being unreasonable in expecting her partner to handle setting the table (cutlery, drinks, condiments) after she has completed the demanding task of cooking a complex meal, or if the partner is being dismissive of a reasonable request for shared effort during the 'service' phase of the dinner routine.
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