# While being a guest in my house: **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 16, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703 "2006-07-16T04:23:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/81 "2006-07-19T15:22:23Z")
Oh man, I feel for you! Time to put that law enforcement background to work and question him until he admits fucking with your furnace. My dad was a cop so I know that they can get you to admit things that you don’t want to. Definitely talk with the wife and tell her that you are tired of his disrespect, present a united front andwhen he stumbles home from Festa have his bags packed on the front porch. ---
**Author:** ![Anaptyxis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anaptyxis/32/3171_2.png) [@Anaptyxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaptyxis)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/82 "2006-07-19T19:40:42Z")
I just read this whole thread, and I confess I am _dying_ to find out what has happened since yesterday’s bombshell. I hope it doesn’t blow up for you, **pkbites**. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/83 "2006-07-19T19:46:58Z")
[QUOTE=Anaptyxis] I just read this whole thread, and I confess I am _dying_ to find out what has happened since yesterday’s bombshell. I hope it doesn’t blow up for you…\*\*. [/QUOTE] Are you kidding? Stuff blowing up makes for the best reading around here. ---
**Author:** ![malita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@malita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malita)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/84 "2006-07-19T19:58:06Z")
At least when my Mom comes to stay with us, she leaves me money for the extra AC expense and foots the bill for cold beer. She _melts_ in hot weather, so we have to keep the AC cranked. I don’t mind it at all, but would if she adjusted the temp and stuck me with the extra $200 for that month. …but, I am staying tuned to hear the rest of the story… ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/85 "2006-07-19T21:56:44Z")
Wow, I am so fortunate to have in-laws I actually like. My mother-in-law did have the habit of going through **Dangerosa** ’s closet and getting rid of stuff that she thought was worn out, but that’s pretty much stopped. I think I’d have done some yelling had I had houseguests behaving like the OP’s, in-laws or no. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/86 "2006-07-20T01:15:42Z")
[QUOTE=Exgineer] Posting on this board is just like playing baseball. If you swing at everything in the strike zone you’ll have to make solid contact eventually. Of course, I also strike out a lot. [/QUOTE] And you provided me opportunity to use my favorite Lois McMaster Bujold quote of all time: “He’s not a mad scientist, just an irate engineer.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/87 "2006-07-20T02:46:26Z")
You WILL make him pay for the repairs, right **pkbites**? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/88 "2006-07-20T03:13:51Z")
Man, I’d ask if you were my husband except it’s **my** father-in-law who’s like that. (Well, OK, there are significant differences but the attitude is the same.) Why does my husband put up with him? He’d like to continue seeing his mom - who’s been so browbeaten over the decades that she just kind of withdraws into herself whenever he yells - and he says that although he loves his dad, he doesn’t like him. He has stood up to his dad in a number of things, including catching a punch his dad threw at him in his teenage years. Yeah, get him to fess up - without having to break an arm - about the AC, then bring the hammer down. Asshole doesn’t get to fuck with your house without permission, and he sure as hell doesn’t get to break shit. No more staying at your house for Festa; he can find a hotel room. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/89 "2006-07-20T14:08:55Z")
Damn, where’s our OP? What happened?!? ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/90 "2006-07-20T15:31:50Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Damn, where’s our OP? What happened?!? [/QUOTE] I’m starting to think we should call the jails. Maybe **pkbites** needs to be bailed out. 😃 E. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/91 "2006-07-20T15:51:02Z")
[QUOTE=Elza B] I’m starting to think we should call the jails. Maybe **pkbites** needs to be bailed out. 😃 E. [/QUOTE] If he’s in jail and assuming the the FIL is simply maimed, not murdered, **pkbites** likely prefers to stay there. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/92 "2006-07-20T20:29:37Z")
The suspense is killing me. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/93 "2006-07-20T20:41:19Z")
Yeah, me too. I hope it lasts. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/94 "2006-07-20T21:43:36Z")
I must be particularly dense today (and every day since the post about the switch being disabled was entered). See, it would appear to me that if the metal bit was wrapped around the switch, it would tend to keep the switch closed _even with the access cover removed_, thus allowing the system to operate in AC mode when that door is off. Can someone describe this mechanism for me so I can understand it as a case of sabotaging the climate-control system to never allow the AC to turn on? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/95 "2006-07-20T21:46:36Z")
Have we started a fund to raise bail money yet? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/96 "2006-07-20T22:16:59Z")
[QUOTE=Elza B] I’m starting to think we should call the jails. Maybe **pkbites** needs to be bailed out.E. [/QUOTE] I’m back, I am not/wasn’t in jail. I was towards the end of a 2 week vacation when I started this, but now that I’m back to work (and I also have a part-time job I do) I have far less time to post (but also less time to deal with FIL:cool: ). [QUOTE=kaylasdad99] I must be particularly dense today (and every day since the post about the switch being disabled was entered). See, it would appear to me that if the metal bit was wrapped around the switch, it would tend to keep the switch closed _even with the access cover removed_, thus allowing the system to operate in AC mode when that door is off. [/QUOTE] You would be right on, except Johnny told me the piece of metal was bent the _other_ way (to the left) and then upwards around the switch housing, thus preventing contact regardless of the metal cover. An investigation by the house detective (ME!) only got denials. But get this: Have you ever had a dog that did something wrong, but you hadn’t found out about it yet? And all the dog did was mope around with a real dismal look on his face, and those sad but guilty eyes. And you just know the dog did something, but you don’t know what. And you look around for a turd or a broken lamp or something. Thats exactly whats going on here. All of a sudden he’s real quiet, and has this guilty dog look on his face. Great! Now he knows he went too far and it’s shut him down. I’m rather happy right now! Oh, and last night I talked with my son. He had spent the day with Gramps last week. WOW! Did he ever have some shit to say! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/97 "2006-07-20T22:35:28Z")
Ah. Thanks for the explanation. I’d ask for details about the shit your son had to say, but I don’t think it would be nice to spoil your mood right now. It’ll keep until next week. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/98 "2006-07-20T22:37:00Z")
[QUOTE=pkbites] Oh, and last night I talked with my son. He had spent the day with Gramps last week. WOW! Did he ever have some shit to say! [/QUOTE] Come on! You can’t just leave us hanging like that! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/99 "2006-07-20T23:49:37Z")
Yeh, spill it! And how is your wife taking all this? Does she know (after sweltering in the lack of AC) that dear daddy disabled it? I’m wondering whether this might be a really good time to get F-I-L off by himself and quietly, calmly, icily, lay down rules for future conduct in your home, the violation of any one of which will be grounds for the heave-ho. Time for you, while he’s a whipped dog, to assert your pack dominance. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703/100 "2006-07-21T01:06:45Z")
[QUOTE=SnakesCatLady] Come on! You can’t just leave us hanging like that! [/QUOTE] Really! **pkbites** , nobody likes a tease! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-being-a-guest-in-my-house/364703.md?page=6)