# Without warning, your spouse/SO says you need to go on the run, or risk death. What do you do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348 "2012-07-25T16:07:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/1 "2012-07-25T16:07:10Z")
Here’s the sitch. Without warning, your husband/wife/significant other comes home in the most agitated mood you’ve ever seen them. Looking both deadly serious and terribly frightened, your partner says you need to stop whatever you’re doing and leave with them _that instant_. There’s no time to pack, no time to make any phone calls; you just need to put on your shoes, grab your wallet, and kids if you have any, and get the hell out of Dodge. There’s no telling when you’re return, or even if you’ll ever be able to. Why? Your family (meaning you, your partner, and your kids) is in immediate mortal danger. Details will take longer than you have time for right now; they’ll explain when you’re on the road. What do you do, and why? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/2 "2012-07-25T16:08:49Z")
I go. I trust my spouse and if he demanded something like that, he would damn well mean it. Once we’re safe, we’ll figure out what to do together. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/3 "2012-07-25T16:11:11Z")
I shove her outa the way and run. She doesn’t joke around about stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/4 "2012-07-25T16:11:44Z")
We actually talked about this, and we’re both in agreement that we grab wallet and keys and RUN. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/5 "2012-07-25T16:12:45Z")
Same as Olives. No kids, but I do have to stop and grab my meds - but that means that I also have my backup hard drive because my 3 month supply of meds is kept in the bailout bag with my passport, certain papers and my backup hard drive. Not paranoid, but I did live in a hurricane zone, and he grew up in a wildfire/earthquake area. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/6 "2012-07-25T16:13:56Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > I go. I trust my spouse and if he demanded something like that, he would damn well mean it. Once we’re safe, we’ll figure out what to do together. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/7 "2012-07-25T16:16:01Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > We actually talked about this, and we’re both in agreement that we grab wallet and keys and RUN. I was specifically thinking of you when I wrote the poll. I almost named an option after you, and that’s no joke. > [@aruvqan](#): > > Same as Olives. No kids, but I do have to stop and grab my meds - but that means that I also have my backup hard drive because my 3 month supply of meds is kept in the bailout bag with my passport, certain papers and my backup hard drive. > > Not paranoid, but I did live in a hurricane zone, and he grew up in a wildfire/earthquake area. Does it matter if there’s no apparent danger? Hurricanes and wildfires come with plenty of warning (though of course earthquakes do not). If I’d thought ahead I would have stipulated in the OP that you had no idea why your spouse was so agitated, but it’s too late now. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/8 "2012-07-25T16:20:02Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > I go. I trust my spouse and if he demanded something like that, he would damn well mean it. Once we’re safe, we’ll figure out what to do together. +1. BTW - my parents actually had something similar to this scenario set up when I was a kid. My father is retired Air Force now, but when I was younger during the cold war, he spent a lot of time on alert in the missile silos in the various states we lived. They had a plan that if he was ever on alert and called my mother and said, “go put gas in the station wagon,” that meant mom had to load the kids up, and start heading north. Not that we would’ve had anywhere safe to go really. ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/9 "2012-07-25T16:20:26Z")
My wife is a bit on the prone to panic side, so I wouldn’t necessarily want all the details, just a category at least before I grab my cash, keys, and wallet and get out. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/10 "2012-07-25T16:23:01Z")
My SO would be dead or left behind or both if I was the one bursting in because she would fracking HAVE to have a five minute explaination of why first. We’ve had minor versions of “you need to do this now” where she wouldn’t till I explained it to her (typically minor car/computer/household emergency/DIY kinda stuff). She’s fucked. And I’m most likely on the lamb and single again. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/11 "2012-07-25T16:23:08Z")
My wife would never joke about something like this. I’d grab the dog and get in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/12 "2012-07-25T16:28:41Z")
I’d do as she says. If she’s wrong, we can come back. If we err the other way, it’s not so rosy. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/13 "2012-07-25T16:35:21Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > She’s fucked. And I’m most likely on the lamb and single again. Poor Lamb. I think you’ll find it’s “lam”. I wouldn’t normally correct, but I had this image of you trying to get away fast on a lamb… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/14 "2012-07-25T16:37:05Z")
Hey I’m now single. I do what I want 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/15 "2012-07-25T16:38:17Z")
The reference to being single made me think he meant “lambskin.” Anyway, my wife is not prone to panic. If she said this, you bet I’d be out the door. It’s a versin of Pascal’s equation: if I leave with her, and I didn’t need to, then I’ve lost maybe an hour of my life as I figure out it was unnecessary and turn around. If I don’t leave with her and I needed to, game over, man, game over. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/16 "2012-07-25T16:38:23Z")
My wife is a librarian, and I would assume that she shushed the wrong person. Grab the leash and the birdcage and go. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/17 "2012-07-25T16:38:42Z")
I can’t imagine such a scenario happening. So if it did, I wouldn’t waste time asking questions; I’d grab my keys and go. There will be plenty of time for explanations while we’re in the car. And if it turns out to be not quite so dire a situation as feared…hey, at least we had a Road Trip! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/18 "2012-07-25T16:40:12Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The reference to being single made me think he meant “lambskin.” So between the two of us we’ve got him humping a lamb. 😛 Think of the children! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/19 "2012-07-25T16:40:43Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Poor Lamb. I think you’ll find it’s “lam”. I wouldn’t normally correct, but I had this image of you trying to get away fast on a lamb… I myself considered making a Hal Briston choke, but I have too much dignity. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348/20 "2012-07-25T16:44:56Z")
“Hal Briston _choke_” : snorts with laughter : [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-warning-your-spouse-so-says-you-need-to-go-on-the-run-or-risk-death-what-do-you-do/629348.md?page=2)