This one is pretty tame considering the other posts on this sub.
So yesterday me and my old highschool friends meetup and had a hangout at the mall, we went to the arcade of the mall which is pretty large and tends to have a lot of people in it ranging from kids, teens and adults playing games.
There were 4 of us in the group. I asked my friend if he wanted to join me play a ball throwing game were we knockdown some clowns, he said sure and I asked the others if they want to join as well which they kindly refused as they want to play basketball, but since the machines are near to eachother we wouldn’t really be separated.
So I scanned my card and we started playing. While playing I noticed my friend was overdoing it. He takes the balls and throws them like he has some sort of murderous intent or blind rage. He is literally taking 2 rapid back steps and slugging/swinging his arms, like he is throwing his soon to be severed hands instead of the balls, like he is really sweating it.
I told him mid game "Dude you gotta calm down, your missing the clowns for fucks sake!" But he won’t listen, he even nearly hit me in the head with his arms!
While I looked back at him with utter bewilderment, at the corner of my eye I see people giggling and pointing at him. So I was like "fuck it, time to be an adult" I grabbed him at the shoulders and told him in a calm voice to calm down and do some breathing exercises. He said "Bro we are about to lose!" I replied with "I know, but your acting like a fucking lunatic, people are literally laughing behind your back, so calm the fuck down!" And he backed with "SO WHO CARES ABOUT THEM".
My other friends were busy balling and the arcade was pretty loud so they didn’t notice the scuffle.
So I scanned my card again and told him to cool his jets this time. He still angrily throws at the targets but still missing his shots. When the game was nearing its end my 2 other friends joined as their game was over.
Then we played different games and carried on the day.
So around evening I got a message from my friends mom telling me I was being dramatic and selfish with her son at the arcade. According to her I was overreacting because we were just playing an arcade game and I was saving face when I saw that people were watching us.
So that got me thinking am I the turd trap?
NTA. Who has their mom contact an old friend from their high school years to berate said friend over something as ridiculous as an arcade game? Your friend has issues, as does their mom.
A 19yo
yta, it would be pretty funny watching a friend try to take the heads off a clown, it doesn’t matter if people are pointing and laughing because honestly it sounds like a fun moment. Don’t be so self conscious and if your friend wants to act like a goof playing a silly little arcade game just let him be a goof. If you want to try and win/try hard it just play it by yourself next time. Strange that he went to his mum about it but other than that it really isn’t that serious of a situation to get worked up over.
Buddy is a spaz, I’d be laughing my ass off
NTA
Only because his Mommy called for him. I mean, these are old High School friends, so I am assuming you guys are adults. He needs to use his big boy words to talk.
Where you are TA, it’s a arcade game….you weren’t about to win a million bucks. If he was having fun, let him have fun.
First- I’m guessing by old high school friends, y’all are still in high school? His mom texting you makes it sound like he’s…. A bit immature. I would probably be snarky back but it wouldn’t help.
“Haha he told his mommy on me? Dude almost hit me with his swinging arms and people were literally pointing and laughing at him. I was trying to save him from embarrassment. Next time I won’t, thanks mommy 😘
ETA- NTA
ESH either your friend really was out of line, in which case you shouldn’t have paid to play a second round of that game, or you got embarrassed by him and overreacted to his behavior. Sounds like he made a fool of himself but thats on him, who cares if people were staring.
He also sucks for going to his mom about the whole thing and she does too for texting you.
It is INCREDIBLY inappropriate for his mother to contact YOU. If she had a problem she should have gone to your parents.
NTA, your friend (her son) obviously has issues. I’d be lessening the amount of time that I spend with him. Especially if he has mommy deal with everything. That’s so damned embarrassing for a high schooler.
Respectfully, is your friend 5 years old? His mom really texted you like you’re his elementary school bully. He needs to learn self control.
ESH. It’s just an arcade game, if he’s wildly overdoing it who cares. It’s funny. You’ll get less self conscious as you grow up and realize how comical it all is. But his mom contacting you is over the top as well. I’m assuming you guys are at least 15 ish.