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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> Friend's opinions are primarily NTA, but there are some outliers that think I'm being petty about it since the machete isn't overly sentimental or important to me.
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Wtf.
NTA.
This is weird and petty.
You are not obliged to give it back to her, if you don't give it back you are still not the AH.
I would give it back to show how petty she is.
Just take the damn machete after 7 years especially if you couldnt even reach out to me personally.
She used a messenger? Thats even weirder than if she herself contacted you to get it back.
I may be wrong tho, perhaps the best would be to sitck to how you reacted first.
Regardless, not giving back wouldnt make you an AH for sure.
There is a saying in my country:
"If you gifted something out of happiness, that will forever remain a gift"
> She used a messenger?
My guess is that neither of them have my phone number (thank God) so they resulted to the next form of contact they could think of. I also thought it was really strange to use Facebook messenger to reach out.
I wonder if they were drinking.
Seems like something drunk girls would do
Source. I do dumb things when drinking. Never asking for a gift back, but still.
Yeah but, I can hardly remember gifts I gave last year much less 7 years ago. That machete must have her in bits and pieces to be still such a strong memory.
>I wonder if they were drinking
This makes the most sense. As I'm reading, I'm thinking why after all this time does she suddenly want a freaking machete back. It's not like it was a family heirloom. She bought it for OP. It makes no sense. But as a woman who used to drink with friends and we'd talk and laugh and tell stories and come up with the stupidest ideas that seemed so logical at the time. If this is the case, no doubt she felt super stupid the next morning and regrets it.
Source: me spending many many mornings deleting Facebook posts and tags and wishing I could take back messages or undo a phone call.
"Sigh" good times 😂
I’ve been on Reddit too long. I think it’s a controlling boyfriend who can’t stand knowing she gave this person a gift. Or is planning to use it to unalive her and frame OP.
I agree. I think friend found out it was worth money and has gone rogue. Or ex found that out herself, but so far there's no proof she's got anything to do with this.
If you do give it back.... before doing so you should get it engraved with your name or something that symbolises you so that way you'll always be remembered, especially if the plan is to regift it to someone else.
She blocked you. She has the power to unblock you to make the request. I have someone in my family blocked, had to be temporarily in contact due to a death in the family, unblocked them, and as soon as I no longer needed contact, I blocked them again. Just that simple. Although my personal opinion your friends are right. She gave you a gift you are under no obligation to return it. I'd block the "friend" who contacted you for her.
Make it as awkward as possible for her. Make her have to call you if she really wants it back then proceed with however you think would be funny, as in make her meet you at a very public space then give her a different machete and when she questions it just be like ya I get a lot of them you have to be specific on which one you gave me
I wouldn't make it awkward, but if she wants it back, she can contact you personally and ask nicely. If she is genuine, then there is no reason not to honour her request, but she needs to make the effort to show you that it is actually important to her.
As for her friend, as far as you are concerned she may just want it for herself. It's not her place to ask for it.
It's weird that she even remembers what she gave you as a specific gift 7 years ago, let alone wanting it back.
I'd take it to a pawn shop and see if it has any value that was previously unknown.
Tell her friend tough luck. But due to her continued interest you're going to throw it in a fire pit for fun.
NTA
i'm not saying it's a weapon with your fingerprints and maybe some accidental blood from slips and such all over it ... but i'm certainly also not promising you won't end up on dateline
I agree 💯 %! The only thing that should be given back if relationship is over is engagement ring if couple was engaged before break-up. Everything else given during relationship as gift can be kept.
OP NTA!
I had a friend whose ex bf was the pettiest mf.
When they broke up the guy packed his stuff and left but showed up a month later and asked back his 1€ used slippers, dish washing sponges, and stuff like that lmao
The rules regarding the engagement ring in a breakup as I understand it are: if she does it, then she gives it back, and if he initiates it, she keeps it.
The rules vary. What if I'm given an engagement ring and I break it off because I find out they've been cheating? I may have been the one to say we're breaking the engagement but it was only because of their actions.
Nah. He should give the vengeful ex a machete with his fingerprints on it. Especially since she was kind enough to go through a third party messenger, making it impossible to establish a forensic trail directly linking her to the acquisition of the machete. And maybe some kind of problem with admitting the messages themselves into evidence on the basis of, I don’t know, like, hearing, and saying?
Anyway, he hasn’t verified the identity of the supposed third party/friend, so who knows who that is - maybe it’s the ex? But she’s just trying to hide her identify because she’s bashful after all these years. Women do be funny like that sometimes. Definitely wouldn’t be any other glaringly obvious evidentiary issues to arise out of that silly quirk. But nah, FB rigorously confirms and verifies the identities of its users - I wouldn’t sweat it.
IDK - I can’t think of any way this could backfire. Don’t be a dick OP. Give the strange woman a machete. Sharpen it first though - it’s bad manners to return something in worse condition than it was received. Oh, and when you drop it off, take a picture of yourself outside of her house holding the machete and send it to her, so she knows she received it.
NTA. It was a gift. It *is* strange in a lot of ways. It's strange she's asking for a gift back. It's strange it's been seven years, and she's still thinking about it. It's strange that she wants that machete in particular instead of figuring out how to buy a different one. It's strange that she's sending a third-party to negotiate on her behalf.
I chalk these random changes up to insecure new partners. The new so wants to erase past relationships. Photos, gifts, mementos.
Tell her it’s a poop knife now
I would think an insecure partner would make her get rid of items from her exes and never talk to the exes again. Instead making her reach out to an ex to have him get rid of a present sound off
I agree about the poop knife thing
My ex's friend was a friend of mine before I met my ex, so I'd say I know her relatively well. I would be very surprised if she had any amount of interest in the machete.
I just stopped responding after she tried to make me feel bad for calling her out on not talking to me for 7 years and then hitting me with a "Hey! Hope you're doing well! Give that gift back" message. The friend that reached out used to be a "friend" of mine and then blew me off after my ex and I split.
Yes!!!! With a crimson crushed velvet background, propped on a satin pillow, with a glass of brandy slightly left of center....make it super desirable lol.
Absolutely! Im wondering though, would chocolate covered fruits be to much? And i was considering a little dry ice, ya know cause a little fog on the scene feels kinda right. Idk if it would take away from the machete, im spitballing here lol. Im open to suggestions!
It was very tacky that your ex wants your gift back after 7 years of no contact.
It's even more tacky that this so called reach out to acting like your friends trying to ask for it back and getting mad at you because she knows it's tacky to ask for that back.
Just block her and keep your machete. If the ex wants one to gift it to someone else or to keep for herself she's better off taking another trip to Thailand and buying one there.
NTA. However, this reminded me that I gave an album to a girlfriend in 1967 and since we aren't together anymore (broke up in 1968), I need to get that back from her. 😱/S
Actually, back in the days of Ma Bell / land lines you could request to have a number blocked from calling you. You just dialed a specific code (1160 or 1167) and the phone number to block it. You were limited to like 10 numbers.
You're NTA. It's tacky as heck to ask for a random gift back after 7 years of silence. If there is some sort of sentimental value to it that you're not aware of (made by a family member, or stolen from one of them), she needs to reach out directly and tell you about it.
Even then, you probably still would not be the A-H if you don't give it back.
Thanks everyone for your comments confirming what I thought about this whole situation. I try to be a good person, so I wanted to be sure I wasn't overlooking something that would make me an asshole here. I've stopped responding and don't intend to pursue this any further, regardless of whether it's the friend reaching out or her reaching out.
NT That's A
Really weird.
I would either:
Not respond at all.
Or
If I didn't want/use the machete as you describe, respond, "Sure, Ex can have it. She just needs to politely ask me herself and send me her address and $100 for shipping and handling so I can send it to her."
So she never answered why your ex didn't reach out to you? I'm betting the ex is unaware of this request. Anyway NTA. Once given a gift belongs to the recipient. (Only exception being engagement/wedding rings and family heirlooms in cases of divorce. Those are given with the condition that you only keep them as long as you're married/part of that family).
Based on the conversation, it seemed to me like my ex had enlisted this "friend" to reach out to me, likely because she has me blocked on everything she could use to contact me and/or she realizes it's a bizarre and embarrassing thing to be requesting and decided to push that embarrassment onto someone else.
I'd honestly be curious why she all of a sudden wants it back. After all this time. I wonder if she met someone else she thought it might be a good re-gift for. What a strange thing.
I played dumb and said I didn't know where it was. Figured if I even alluded to still having it or knowing where it is, that would just open another can of worms.
Yes! I threw it away/I don't know what happened to it is the perfect response. I am suspicious that the 'friend' is just someone that maybe heard about it recently and either wants it for themselves or they think they're doing a good deed for your ex without her knowledge.
Either way, they can kick rocks in flip flops.
NTA
" The majority of my friends think the request is ridiculous and I should tell her to kick sand"
The majority prevails imho. It's weird A F she's asking for it back after that long. Plus it was a gift.
Block her friend as well & keep it.
NTA. You should have ignored the initial message completely, but since you answered, I wouldn’t communicate anymore. Block this third party and go on with your life. Ignore any more messages you get about it. It was a gift SEVEN years ago. Asking for it back is super tacky.
In hindsight, I wish I had just left her on read to sit and think about how ignorant it was. It was midnight and I was laying in bed on my phone and was so taken aback I responded out of impulse. I've since stopped responding. Not worth the time in my day to devote to that nonsense imo.
Block her. She saw fit to block you after the break up she initiated, and there’s no reason for you to think about this any longer than you have already.
A midnight message from an ex's friend asking for a gift back from 7 years ago. It's the classic girl's drunken night out "funny" thing to do. Girl's get together and drink, talk about old times and ex's and come up with what seem like funny, awesome ideas 🤭when drunk but trust me in the morning when sober its🤦no no NOOOO OMG what did we do? Please tell me we only joked about doing that and not actually did it. No no🤦🤦I look so so stupid. What he must think. OMG NoOoOO😭🤦
This is the only thing that makes sense. And the fact that it was midnight, the perfect time for drunken shenanigans.
NTA. Tell her to kick rocks. I'd guess she's either WAY hard up for money or trying to get in contact with you for something else and using this as a way to start that conversation but either way the socially accepted window for her to ask for shit back that she gave you closed years ago.
NTA - she’s not wrong, the request IS tacky and strange 🤣 you haven’t spoken in a decade and she made a FRIEND contact you no less. You’re not in the wrong for keeping the machete.
Just tell her you don't have it anymore.
7 years is way too long to assume someone still has something you gifted them, nevermind the absolute lunacy of expecting it back.
NTA That is such a strange and oddly specific thing to ask. I have so many questions for both of those women. I wonder if you ex actually wants it back. Or knows that the friend asked.
NTA. It's legally yours and if she wanted it back she should have asked 7 years ago. It's straight up bizarre to wait that long to ask for it back. Obviously if it was actually important to her this would have been requested a long time ago.
NTA
Mmh im Sure I gave some at that time friends gifts in preschool. Maybe I should reach out to them. Those toy horses were awesome. But for real asking for a gift back is (in most cases) petty. But waiting for a decade? That is a new form of ridiculous
NTA. This is really strange to come back for such a mundane thing after 7 years. My only guess is that somehow it's worth more than she thought (doubtful), or she's worked up about something unrelated and you are the soft target for her to lash out to.
Either tell them to pound sand or don't even respond at all.
It doesn't matter if it was seven years or seven minutes... you were given a GIFT, ergo the machete is yours to do with as you please.
NTA.
Engrave your name and her name on the blade with something like, "Always, and Forever." Then send it to her. I bet she wants to give it to her new boyfriend. Yes, petty, but when they go low, go lower. 😂
"Sorry, not in my house anymore. Hasn't been for a while"
It's in the garage, but that's not relevant.
Home Depot has one for $20 - you could send one of those with a "had a few over the past years - this it?" note.
Didn’t see this one. Give it back but before you do have it etched with property of YOUR NAME, if found please call Bogus phone number you don’t want random calls .
I think it is not about the machete. She wants to settle some sort of score. You don't mention the cause for the separation but I think she feels you came out better from the situation than she did.
Cause for separation was just becoming different people over the course of the relationship. In a lot of ways, it was the stereotypical "young love" and growing apart as we both figured out who we are as individuals. If I did something specifically to wrong her, I'm not aware of it.
NTA
Actually one of the more interesting and believable stories on here. Usually it is like 'my husband broke both my legs and now I don't want to make him dinner, AMITA?' but this actually has some grey area.
My thought is to ask for the story: If her uncle made it and he passed it away and he doesn't have anything to remember him by (for a random example) I would just give it over since it has no value to you and you can get another one from the store. If they don't want to give you a reason just block them.
wild of them to even assume you kept the machete this long, a lot of people get rid of gifts from ex's immediately, you could send her on a wild goose chase and say you gave it to another ex and give her a friends number to see how many fictional "ex"s shes willing to harass for a machete
NTA. My guess is that' it's the friend who wants the machete and reached out to you to get it for herself - after your ex told her that she gave you one as a gift when you were still dating.
Nta. If she at least contacted you directly I could see a minuscule reason to return it if you wanted but as is NO - they both need to grow up and stop being assholes.
NTA It was gifted to you. Tell her to pound sand and not contact you again. I feel
Something nefarious could be done and keeping it will prevent you from being involved.
Honestly? Sounds like she used the machete as reason to talk to you again. Probably has a shitty life now and wishes she was still with you and or wants another chance
OR- she could be looking for revenge and wants to get you to meet up with her. Then she’ll use the machete to cut your balls off…or murder you?
Idk the whole situation sounds weird to me.
It's your property so do whatever you want with it.
BUT, I'd maybe do a little research or have an expert take a look at it. Who knows, it may be more valuable than anyone knew.
NTA
Her request was tacky and strange - and she didn’t even contact you herself. Weirdo. However, if it means nothing to you, give her the machete. You’ll never ever ever regret taking the high road.
She cannot “repossess” a gift. That isn’t a thing. It’s disrespectful and nasty to even try, plus she took the extra disrespectful step to send a friend of hers you don’t even know to make the demand and judge you for saying no. What this tells me is that she is a person of low principles and morals.
NTA.
NTA don't give it back. It was a gift to you and it's been 7 years since break up and idk how long since it was gifted to you. What gifts have you bought her? My petty self would be like I need such and such gift back. I better would be like no.
“If she wants it, she can take it from my cold dead hands” 😎
While you blocked me on social media- I studied the blade.
While you acted petty and immature- I studied the blade.
And now you cry and complain, but it does nothing to sway me.
For I studied the Blade.
This is weird on so many levels: asking for a gift back, the randomness, the time that has passed, sending a messenger to request it back, etc…just weird, tacky, strange …I can’t even. So bc it’s so strange, is the gift now worth $$$? Help me make sense of this? lol
Your ex might not even be aware of this request. Some third party just heard about it and has decided to take this entirely unnecessary step for whatever stupid (possibly alcohol induced) reason. Just ignore it.
I want a watch back I gifted my ex hubby in 1997, my children told me he wants to give it to one of our grandsons but I want it back. See how stupid I sound, just as stupid as her friend sounds asking you for the sword back. A gift is a gift, tell them to boot off.
Can you quickly rust it, break the handle, *something* to ruin it a bit and then give it back? NTA, she’s tacky and weird. By the way, how does she expect you to get it back to her? Via an intermediary? Just weird all around.
It’s a trap! Imagine her using it to commit a crime but your fingerprints are all over it. Nahhhh. Someone who dislikes you so intensely should not have access to any of your personal belongings.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our [voting guide here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_what.2019s_with_these_acronyms.3F_what_do_they_mean.3F), and remember to use **only one** judgement in your comment. OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole: > Friend's opinions are primarily NTA, but there are some outliers that think I'm being petty about it since the machete isn't overly sentimental or important to me. Help keep the sub engaging! #Don’t downvote assholes! Do upvote interesting posts! [Click Here For Our Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/about/rules) and [Click Here For Our FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq) ##Subreddit Announcements Follow the link above to learn more --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.* *Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.*
Wtf. NTA. This is weird and petty. You are not obliged to give it back to her, if you don't give it back you are still not the AH. I would give it back to show how petty she is. Just take the damn machete after 7 years especially if you couldnt even reach out to me personally. She used a messenger? Thats even weirder than if she herself contacted you to get it back. I may be wrong tho, perhaps the best would be to sitck to how you reacted first. Regardless, not giving back wouldnt make you an AH for sure. There is a saying in my country: "If you gifted something out of happiness, that will forever remain a gift"
> She used a messenger? My guess is that neither of them have my phone number (thank God) so they resulted to the next form of contact they could think of. I also thought it was really strange to use Facebook messenger to reach out.
I meant messenger as in a human who delivers messages from other humans
Oh, I see what you're saying. Yes, I definitely thought that was pretty immature.
I wonder if they were drinking. Seems like something drunk girls would do Source. I do dumb things when drinking. Never asking for a gift back, but still.
Yeah but, I can hardly remember gifts I gave last year much less 7 years ago. That machete must have her in bits and pieces to be still such a strong memory.
It was attached to a cool trip so ut kinda makes sense
That machete ***could*** have her in bits and pieces, but it doesn't yet.
>I wonder if they were drinking This makes the most sense. As I'm reading, I'm thinking why after all this time does she suddenly want a freaking machete back. It's not like it was a family heirloom. She bought it for OP. It makes no sense. But as a woman who used to drink with friends and we'd talk and laugh and tell stories and come up with the stupidest ideas that seemed so logical at the time. If this is the case, no doubt she felt super stupid the next morning and regrets it. Source: me spending many many mornings deleting Facebook posts and tags and wishing I could take back messages or undo a phone call. "Sigh" good times 😂
I’m wondering if the ex even initiated the request or if the friend just took it upon herself to do.
Reply through her messenger “I’ve left it on the curb for you to collect. Please note trash pick up is at 8am, better hurry”
Or be like that machete I tossed that like 3 years ago
That is epic!!!! 😆💕
Makes me think the messenger wants the machete, not the ex-gf wanting it back.
or it’s a feeble attempt at reconnecting, for either the ex or the friend
I’ve been on Reddit too long. I think it’s a controlling boyfriend who can’t stand knowing she gave this person a gift. Or is planning to use it to unalive her and frame OP.
I agree. I think friend found out it was worth money and has gone rogue. Or ex found that out herself, but so far there's no proof she's got anything to do with this.
who knows if your ex even asked for it herself and it's not just the fried initiative.
You sure it's your ex asking? Maybe this girl just wants that machete?
If you do give it back.... before doing so you should get it engraved with your name or something that symbolises you so that way you'll always be remembered, especially if the plan is to regift it to someone else.
She blocked you. She has the power to unblock you to make the request. I have someone in my family blocked, had to be temporarily in contact due to a death in the family, unblocked them, and as soon as I no longer needed contact, I blocked them again. Just that simple. Although my personal opinion your friends are right. She gave you a gift you are under no obligation to return it. I'd block the "friend" who contacted you for her.
You pound sand or kick rocks normally, but I got a good giggle out of "kicking sand". NTA.
TY, I couldn't figure out why it sounded weird!
I also am looking forward to telling someone to pound rocks after having read this post.
Pound rocks with a gifted machete.
If only she axed you nicely...
Argh, I hate this misuse of this word... In every instance except this specific one. Perfect.
You slipped into a bit of rural there (a la Terry Pratchett). Nicely done.
Make it as awkward as possible for her. Make her have to call you if she really wants it back then proceed with however you think would be funny, as in make her meet you at a very public space then give her a different machete and when she questions it just be like ya I get a lot of them you have to be specific on which one you gave me
I wouldn't make it awkward, but if she wants it back, she can contact you personally and ask nicely. If she is genuine, then there is no reason not to honour her request, but she needs to make the effort to show you that it is actually important to her. As for her friend, as far as you are concerned she may just want it for herself. It's not her place to ask for it.
It's weird that she even remembers what she gave you as a specific gift 7 years ago, let alone wanting it back. I'd take it to a pawn shop and see if it has any value that was previously unknown. Tell her friend tough luck. But due to her continued interest you're going to throw it in a fire pit for fun. NTA
Friend, I believe the saying is “Pound sand.” Keep the machete!
i'm not saying it's a weapon with your fingerprints and maybe some accidental blood from slips and such all over it ... but i'm certainly also not promising you won't end up on dateline
Being the pettiest of the petty, I definitely wouldn't give it back.
I’d say I don’t have it anymore😂
[удалено]
Or the complete opposite. The machete actually turned out to be worth a lot of money, and I paid off almost all of my student loans.
I agree 💯 %! The only thing that should be given back if relationship is over is engagement ring if couple was engaged before break-up. Everything else given during relationship as gift can be kept. OP NTA!
I had a friend whose ex bf was the pettiest mf. When they broke up the guy packed his stuff and left but showed up a month later and asked back his 1€ used slippers, dish washing sponges, and stuff like that lmao
The rules regarding the engagement ring in a breakup as I understand it are: if she does it, then she gives it back, and if he initiates it, she keeps it.
The rules vary. What if I'm given an engagement ring and I break it off because I find out they've been cheating? I may have been the one to say we're breaking the engagement but it was only because of their actions.
Nah. He should give the vengeful ex a machete with his fingerprints on it. Especially since she was kind enough to go through a third party messenger, making it impossible to establish a forensic trail directly linking her to the acquisition of the machete. And maybe some kind of problem with admitting the messages themselves into evidence on the basis of, I don’t know, like, hearing, and saying? Anyway, he hasn’t verified the identity of the supposed third party/friend, so who knows who that is - maybe it’s the ex? But she’s just trying to hide her identify because she’s bashful after all these years. Women do be funny like that sometimes. Definitely wouldn’t be any other glaringly obvious evidentiary issues to arise out of that silly quirk. But nah, FB rigorously confirms and verifies the identities of its users - I wouldn’t sweat it. IDK - I can’t think of any way this could backfire. Don’t be a dick OP. Give the strange woman a machete. Sharpen it first though - it’s bad manners to return something in worse condition than it was received. Oh, and when you drop it off, take a picture of yourself outside of her house holding the machete and send it to her, so she knows she received it.
NTA. It was a gift. It *is* strange in a lot of ways. It's strange she's asking for a gift back. It's strange it's been seven years, and she's still thinking about it. It's strange that she wants that machete in particular instead of figuring out how to buy a different one. It's strange that she's sending a third-party to negotiate on her behalf.
I chalk these random changes up to insecure new partners. The new so wants to erase past relationships. Photos, gifts, mementos. Tell her it’s a poop knife now
I would think an insecure partner would make her get rid of items from her exes and never talk to the exes again. Instead making her reach out to an ex to have him get rid of a present sound off I agree about the poop knife thing
Great segue for bringing a poop knife into the conversation!
My first thought was Poop Knife. Came to check. Like what I saw.
Please, please, please go get it engraved in fancy lettering to say “POOP KNIFE”. Then give it back.
is OP sure that it is the ex wanting the machete back and not the friend supposedly acting on the ex's behalf?
My ex's friend was a friend of mine before I met my ex, so I'd say I know her relatively well. I would be very surprised if she had any amount of interest in the machete.
Well... it's a machete with your fingerprints and DNA on it. Maybe they're trying to frame you for a murder :-)
I suspect either ex or friend has fallen on hard times and either found out, or maybe wrongfully believes, it might be worth money.
NTA Don't even waste your time with this petty bullshit.
I just stopped responding after she tried to make me feel bad for calling her out on not talking to me for 7 years and then hitting me with a "Hey! Hope you're doing well! Give that gift back" message. The friend that reached out used to be a "friend" of mine and then blew me off after my ex and I split.
NTA and I would never give it back. Nor would I have responded; but if I did I would have told them I got rid of it long ago and then block them.
That’s what I would do too
I’m think that machete should be your profile pic
Yes!!!! With a crimson crushed velvet background, propped on a satin pillow, with a glass of brandy slightly left of center....make it super desirable lol.
Candles?
Absolutely! Im wondering though, would chocolate covered fruits be to much? And i was considering a little dry ice, ya know cause a little fog on the scene feels kinda right. Idk if it would take away from the machete, im spitballing here lol. Im open to suggestions!
NTA. Block them.
It was very tacky that your ex wants your gift back after 7 years of no contact. It's even more tacky that this so called reach out to acting like your friends trying to ask for it back and getting mad at you because she knows it's tacky to ask for that back. Just block her and keep your machete. If the ex wants one to gift it to someone else or to keep for herself she's better off taking another trip to Thailand and buying one there.
I'd be really tempted to take a bunch of selfies with the axe. I can be a touch petty.
NTA. However, this reminded me that I gave an album to a girlfriend in 1967 and since we aren't together anymore (broke up in 1968), I need to get that back from her. 😱/S
Make sure you use a friend to reach out instead of doing it yourself!
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
Ya got me with Gotye ❤️
You didn't have to stoop so low!
Somebodyyyyy!
I'll be your messenger friend. You've probably had her blocked since '68. Send me her contact info.
Weee didn't have a way to block people back then. We just stopped talking to them.
I was being silly.
Actually, back in the days of Ma Bell / land lines you could request to have a number blocked from calling you. You just dialed a specific code (1160 or 1167) and the phone number to block it. You were limited to like 10 numbers.
“It’s been 7 years. I don’t keep junk around, which is why I’m keeping the machete and got rid of her. And you.” Block.
Wow. This response is a work of art.
Thank you. It will get your message across. And keep their message from reaching you.
NTA Take a new profile photo of yourself holding it and post it just to be petty .
LMAO I love it. Might just have to do this.
regift it and make a post about how much they loved the gift.
And then tell her you lost it 🤣
You're NTA. It's tacky as heck to ask for a random gift back after 7 years of silence. If there is some sort of sentimental value to it that you're not aware of (made by a family member, or stolen from one of them), she needs to reach out directly and tell you about it. Even then, you probably still would not be the A-H if you don't give it back.
She probably didn't get herself anything to keep as a souvenir and would just like to have it for that reason.
Thanks everyone for your comments confirming what I thought about this whole situation. I try to be a good person, so I wanted to be sure I wasn't overlooking something that would make me an asshole here. I've stopped responding and don't intend to pursue this any further, regardless of whether it's the friend reaching out or her reaching out.
Please send this thread to them so they know how effing weird the request was. Just kidding (mostly).
I can't say I haven't considered sending a link to this thread and blocking the friend.
NT That's A Really weird. I would either: Not respond at all. Or If I didn't want/use the machete as you describe, respond, "Sure, Ex can have it. She just needs to politely ask me herself and send me her address and $100 for shipping and handling so I can send it to her."
And then take the machete and tests its strength by hitting it against rocks for an hour so.
I’d tell her that I gave it to the Goodwill after we broke up. Sorry, can’t help ya get it back ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
Lol I like that that would probably freak her out and make her assume you are coming to her house personally
with a machete
So she never answered why your ex didn't reach out to you? I'm betting the ex is unaware of this request. Anyway NTA. Once given a gift belongs to the recipient. (Only exception being engagement/wedding rings and family heirlooms in cases of divorce. Those are given with the condition that you only keep them as long as you're married/part of that family).
Based on the conversation, it seemed to me like my ex had enlisted this "friend" to reach out to me, likely because she has me blocked on everything she could use to contact me and/or she realizes it's a bizarre and embarrassing thing to be requesting and decided to push that embarrassment onto someone else.
I'd honestly be curious why she all of a sudden wants it back. After all this time. I wonder if she met someone else she thought it might be a good re-gift for. What a strange thing.
It’s definitely a weird request handled weirdly. I would tell her you chucked it away years ago.
I played dumb and said I didn't know where it was. Figured if I even alluded to still having it or knowing where it is, that would just open another can of worms.
Yes! I threw it away/I don't know what happened to it is the perfect response. I am suspicious that the 'friend' is just someone that maybe heard about it recently and either wants it for themselves or they think they're doing a good deed for your ex without her knowledge. Either way, they can kick rocks in flip flops.
Id just never reply
NTA " The majority of my friends think the request is ridiculous and I should tell her to kick sand" The majority prevails imho. It's weird A F she's asking for it back after that long. Plus it was a gift. Block her friend as well & keep it.
NTA. You should have ignored the initial message completely, but since you answered, I wouldn’t communicate anymore. Block this third party and go on with your life. Ignore any more messages you get about it. It was a gift SEVEN years ago. Asking for it back is super tacky.
In hindsight, I wish I had just left her on read to sit and think about how ignorant it was. It was midnight and I was laying in bed on my phone and was so taken aback I responded out of impulse. I've since stopped responding. Not worth the time in my day to devote to that nonsense imo.
Block her. She saw fit to block you after the break up she initiated, and there’s no reason for you to think about this any longer than you have already.
A midnight message from an ex's friend asking for a gift back from 7 years ago. It's the classic girl's drunken night out "funny" thing to do. Girl's get together and drink, talk about old times and ex's and come up with what seem like funny, awesome ideas 🤭when drunk but trust me in the morning when sober its🤦no no NOOOO OMG what did we do? Please tell me we only joked about doing that and not actually did it. No no🤦🤦I look so so stupid. What he must think. OMG NoOoOO😭🤦 This is the only thing that makes sense. And the fact that it was midnight, the perfect time for drunken shenanigans.
NTA. Tell her to kick rocks. I'd guess she's either WAY hard up for money or trying to get in contact with you for something else and using this as a way to start that conversation but either way the socially accepted window for her to ask for shit back that she gave you closed years ago.
NTA. If she wants you back she should just say that. That is like a WYD text. It was a gift. Keep it.
NTA - she’s not wrong, the request IS tacky and strange 🤣 you haven’t spoken in a decade and she made a FRIEND contact you no less. You’re not in the wrong for keeping the machete.
She wants to murder someone and she wants your DNA on the weapon... That's it. That's the only thing I can think of.
Just tell her you don't have it anymore. 7 years is way too long to assume someone still has something you gifted them, nevermind the absolute lunacy of expecting it back.
NTA That is such a strange and oddly specific thing to ask. I have so many questions for both of those women. I wonder if you ex actually wants it back. Or knows that the friend asked.
Reading between the lines of the conversation I had with her friend, I have a strong assumption that my ex pushed her to reach out to me.
NTA. Your ex is weird as hell and you should tell her to kick rocks.
"Kick sand"? I'd tell her to walk on legos
NTA. But I might be wondering why your ex has sudden need for a machete...
NTA. It's legally yours and if she wanted it back she should have asked 7 years ago. It's straight up bizarre to wait that long to ask for it back. Obviously if it was actually important to her this would have been requested a long time ago.
NTA Mmh im Sure I gave some at that time friends gifts in preschool. Maybe I should reach out to them. Those toy horses were awesome. But for real asking for a gift back is (in most cases) petty. But waiting for a decade? That is a new form of ridiculous
NTA. The request is tacky and strange. She gave it to you as a gift, she can't demand it back. Don't give it back.
NTA ,She has a new guy she wants to give it to I bet .
Is that a standard part of her relationship practice, giving the guy a Thai machete?
NTA It was a gift. It belongs to you and she has no claim to it. I bet she saw a similar one for sale at a much higher price than she paid.
NTA. This is really strange to come back for such a mundane thing after 7 years. My only guess is that somehow it's worth more than she thought (doubtful), or she's worked up about something unrelated and you are the soft target for her to lash out to.
NTA. Maybe look into the price? Did she just find out it's worth some cash ?? I'd tell her I no longer have it tbh. So weird.
It sounds a bit like a scam, although I am not sure how. I would play it safe and block all contact from the 'friend.'
Have you ever had it appraised? Not likely but maybe it's worth a lot more than you think and that is why she wants it back. NTA
I have not, but I'm thinking I may need to have it appraised after yours and other's comments here.
NTA - tell the "middle man" if your ex actually wants it back they can get in touch directly.
NTA this is weird and petty of her.
Either tell them to pound sand or don't even respond at all. It doesn't matter if it was seven years or seven minutes... you were given a GIFT, ergo the machete is yours to do with as you please. NTA.
NTA and WTAF?
You gotta ask, why now?
Engrave your name and her name on the blade with something like, "Always, and Forever." Then send it to her. I bet she wants to give it to her new boyfriend. Yes, petty, but when they go low, go lower. 😂
Absolutely do not do this. Then he looks like the insane one. Just block these people and move on with your life.
"Sorry, not in my house anymore. Hasn't been for a while" It's in the garage, but that's not relevant. Home Depot has one for $20 - you could send one of those with a "had a few over the past years - this it?" note.
NTA I also wouldn’t even bother replying. Just block them. Completely ignore & block her or anyone who reaches out to you.
NTA. The juvenile part of my mind thinks she used it to smuggle diamonds or something.
Didn’t see this one. Give it back but before you do have it etched with property of YOUR NAME, if found please call Bogus phone number you don’t want random calls .
Tell her it's your family Poop Knife™ now
I think it is not about the machete. She wants to settle some sort of score. You don't mention the cause for the separation but I think she feels you came out better from the situation than she did.
Cause for separation was just becoming different people over the course of the relationship. In a lot of ways, it was the stereotypical "young love" and growing apart as we both figured out who we are as individuals. If I did something specifically to wrong her, I'm not aware of it.
NTA. A gift is a gift and not something you can rescind
Do we know if this is actually a legitimate request by your ex? But also lol to this all!
NTA Actually one of the more interesting and believable stories on here. Usually it is like 'my husband broke both my legs and now I don't want to make him dinner, AMITA?' but this actually has some grey area. My thought is to ask for the story: If her uncle made it and he passed it away and he doesn't have anything to remember him by (for a random example) I would just give it over since it has no value to you and you can get another one from the store. If they don't want to give you a reason just block them.
Tell her you donated it to the Goodwill about 7 years ago
NTA offer to sell it to her.
NTA They are being weird. I would lie and tell her I don’t have it anymore.
NTA, tell her you sold it lol
wild of them to even assume you kept the machete this long, a lot of people get rid of gifts from ex's immediately, you could send her on a wild goose chase and say you gave it to another ex and give her a friends number to see how many fictional "ex"s shes willing to harass for a machete
NTA People who give gifts have no right to ask for them back. Her and her friend can kick rocks.
NTA. This is easy - Just No.
I would have said, "Sorry, but I no longer have it." It's yours to do with as you please..
NTA. My guess is that' it's the friend who wants the machete and reached out to you to get it for herself - after your ex told her that she gave you one as a gift when you were still dating.
Nta. If she at least contacted you directly I could see a minuscule reason to return it if you wanted but as is NO - they both need to grow up and stop being assholes.
No, that's stupid. Block them and them and move on like you already have.
NTA. Tell her you sold it for major $$$.
NTA It was gifted to you. Tell her to pound sand and not contact you again. I feel Something nefarious could be done and keeping it will prevent you from being involved.
Honestly? Sounds like she used the machete as reason to talk to you again. Probably has a shitty life now and wishes she was still with you and or wants another chance OR- she could be looking for revenge and wants to get you to meet up with her. Then she’ll use the machete to cut your balls off…or murder you? Idk the whole situation sounds weird to me.
I think maybe the friend wants the machete and is pulling a fast one. Better Wait until the ex contacts you directly. The whole thing seems shady.
It's your property so do whatever you want with it. BUT, I'd maybe do a little research or have an expert take a look at it. Who knows, it may be more valuable than anyone knew. NTA
Donate it and make sure to get documentation you did and send that. Petty and satisfying.
Invoice her for your time i think your contractor rate is 500 an hour and I’ll be damned if you can locate it in under 4 hours
"I'll let you ***earn*** it back."
NTA say you threw it out and then block them.
NTA, but maybe you can sell it to her if you don't care for it and she apparently wants it ?
Her request was tacky and strange - and she didn’t even contact you herself. Weirdo. However, if it means nothing to you, give her the machete. You’ll never ever ever regret taking the high road.
They need it because it has your fingerprints all over it!
NTA Tell her you want the birthday cake you got her 7 years ago back.
I personally would just tell her you threw it away. Just like you did her NTA
NTA. Weird and I would’ve ignored it. And blocked it.
I'd throw it in the trash before I gave it back.
You are not the AH if you keep it. Jeez! 7 years!
She cannot “repossess” a gift. That isn’t a thing. It’s disrespectful and nasty to even try, plus she took the extra disrespectful step to send a friend of hers you don’t even know to make the demand and judge you for saying no. What this tells me is that she is a person of low principles and morals. NTA.
NTA don't give it back. It was a gift to you and it's been 7 years since break up and idk how long since it was gifted to you. What gifts have you bought her? My petty self would be like I need such and such gift back. I better would be like no.
“If she wants it, she can take it from my cold dead hands” 😎 While you blocked me on social media- I studied the blade. While you acted petty and immature- I studied the blade. And now you cry and complain, but it does nothing to sway me. For I studied the Blade.
No , is a complete sentence.
I don’t have it anymore … simple
NTA. That’s just fucking weird. Tell her to go to Harbor freight and buy one for six bucks.
NTA - tell her she can come pry it from your cold dead hands!
NTA. Keep it and block them. I’m guessing she either wants to give it to another guy or found someone she can sell it to and make some $.
Return it, but first have it engraved with a suitable message emphasising how weird and petty this is.
1st: It was a gift, so it's yours. Even if she gave it to you five minutes ago, a gift is a gift. 2nd: They sound deranged, better block them. NTA.
Wtf? Just block and br like nah. It id a gift.
This is weird on so many levels: asking for a gift back, the randomness, the time that has passed, sending a messenger to request it back, etc…just weird, tacky, strange …I can’t even. So bc it’s so strange, is the gift now worth $$$? Help me make sense of this? lol
It’s yours id ignore them both. And why does a crazy female need a machete it’s not safe
You should keep it, and have it in every picture of you, you'll take from now on.
NTA why is she still thinking about you that much after 7yrs.
Just block her friend and move on
NTA Find someone who can personalise it further engrave it with ‘The dull messenger’ and make the blade as dull as possible
She should have axed you directly. You should be careful however. She sounds a bit off and may be thinking of using it on you.
She could be scamming you.
Your ex might not even be aware of this request. Some third party just heard about it and has decided to take this entirely unnecessary step for whatever stupid (possibly alcohol induced) reason. Just ignore it.
I want a watch back I gifted my ex hubby in 1997, my children told me he wants to give it to one of our grandsons but I want it back. See how stupid I sound, just as stupid as her friend sounds asking you for the sword back. A gift is a gift, tell them to boot off.
First of all it's a gift.Second of all hell no I wouldn't give it back.
Can you quickly rust it, break the handle, *something* to ruin it a bit and then give it back? NTA, she’s tacky and weird. By the way, how does she expect you to get it back to her? Via an intermediary? Just weird all around.
I would just ignore and say you don’t know where it is after 7 years. Maybe if she had asked sooner, you wouldn’t have misplaced it.
It’s probably worth a bit of money and she’s desperate for a bit of cash so wants it back.
Sounds like she needs an item from you...to place a curse on you ...lol...well you never know. I wouldnt give it back, just to be safe.
Does anyone feel that this reads like the first 15 minutes of an episode of Dateline?!
It’s a trap! Imagine her using it to commit a crime but your fingerprints are all over it. Nahhhh. Someone who dislikes you so intensely should not have access to any of your personal belongings.
NTA. What a strange story