When Jeremy and his wife, Nina, returned home from vacation, they were shocked to find Jeremy’s older brother, Ted, lounging in their house, which had been transformed into a chaotic mess. Beer cans, dirty clothes, and a terrible smell filled the air. Ted, a 42-year-old slacker, had moved in with the help of their parents without Jeremy’s consent.
“Ted, what is this?” Jeremy asked, barely containing his frustration. “Why are you in my house?”
Ted shrugged, nonchalant. “Mom and Dad thought it’d be easier if I moved in. You have all this space. Relax, Jeremy.”
Nina, visibly irritated, rolled her eyes and stormed off to their bedroom, leaving Jeremy to deal with the mess. Jeremy, still reeling, grabbed his phone and called his parents. “Did you really let Ted move into my house without asking me?” he demanded.
His mother, equally dismissive, replied, “Oh, stop being so dramatic, Jeremy. Ted needs help, and you’ve got plenty of room. Family takes care of each other.”
Jeremy, boiling inside, barely kept his cool. Ted had been freeloading off their parents for years, refusing to work or take responsibility for his life. Now, they expected Jeremy to shoulder the burden. His frustration grew when Nina packed her bags and said, “You have a week. Get Ted out, or I’ll stay at my sister’s until this is over.”
Determined not to lose Nina, Jeremy devised a plan. He decided to make Ted’s stay as unbearable as possible. First, he disconnected the Wi-Fi, which Ted relied on for entertainment. When Ted complained, Jeremy feigned innocence, saying, “The internet’s been spotty.”
Next, Jeremy turned off the hot water, forcing Ted to endure freezing showers. Ted groaned in frustration, but Jeremy shrugged, “Must be a plumbing issue.”
He also stocked the fridge with nothing but healthy foods—vegetables, tofu, and things Ted despised. Each time Ted opened the fridge, his disgust was palpable, but Jeremy smiled, saying, “We’re eating healthier these days.”
Finally, Jeremy began blasting loud music at 6 a.m. while working out, disrupting Ted’s long, lazy mornings. Ted, clearly miserable, begged Jeremy to fix the “issues,” but Jeremy maintained his innocent act, insisting that everything was fine.
By the fifth day, Ted had had enough. “This is torture, Jeremy. I can’t live like this. I’m going back to Mom and Dad’s.”
With a victorious grin, Jeremy replied, “You do that.”
As Ted packed his things and left, Jeremy cleaned the house top to bottom and called Nina to tell her the good news. She returned home, relieved that Ted was gone.
Jeremy also informed his parents, “Ted’s out of my house for good. He’s your problem again.” Furious, his parents protested, but Jeremy stood firm, saying, “He’s 42. It’s time for him to grow up.”
Ted eventually moved back in with his parents, but this time, they demanded that he turn the garage into his own space and finally get a job. Though angry, Ted was forced to make some changes, but Jeremy had no regrets. He and Nina had their home—and their peace—back.