Source: Radio New Zealand
Supplied / TradeMe
A Lower Hutt woman is keeping her “dark side” in check by reselling the one gift she received from her husband of 20 years on Christmas Day: a Star Wars T-shirt.
The shirt, originally purchased from EB Games, has been listed on her husband’s Trade Me account – in hopes he will get the message.
Speaking to RNZ, Cindy* said she had a laugh when she opened the present on Christmas Day as she was a big fan of Star Wars.
But given it was the only gift she received alongside a pair of socks from her mum, she was a little disappointed.
“My birthday is the 21st so I guess that was his focus. I did get presents for my birthday but yeah, that was not what I expected.”
In the early hours of the morning and after a couple drinks, Cindy decided to list the T-shirt on Trade Me – titled ‘Revenge of the Wife’.
The T-shirt up for grabs. Supplied / TradeMe
“How am I supposed to gently explain to my husband that after 20 YEARS of marriage, receiving only a T-shirt for Christmas may… awaken my dark side?,” she wrote in the listing.
“Answer: I don’t. I list it for sale on his Trade Me account and let the Force handle the rest.
“Up for grabs is this brand new, never worn, still-has-the-tag Star Wars T-shirt, size Small, featuring Revenge of the Sith – 20th Anniversary on the sleeve. Yes, very cool. Yes, very nostalgic. Yes… still a T-shirt for Christmas!”
Cindy wrote the shirt was “perfect” for Star Wars fans, husbands who think a T-shirt is a thoughtful gift and “anyone brave enough to flirt with the Dark Side”.
She said she was selling the item in hopes of “preserving galactic peace in a 20-year marriage” and selling it on the hubby’s account in hopes he “may or may not ‘get the drift’”.
“Buy it before my patience fully turns to the Dark Side. May the Force (and better gift ideas) be with you,” she ended the listing with.
Cindy said he husband took her decision to sell the shirt “really well”.
They often played pranks on each other and Cindy said the foundation to a good marriage was being able to have a “really good laugh” and constructive conversations about things.
It had taught him it might be a good idea to ask her what she wanted for Christmas instead of buying something he liked for himself and then deciding to buy it for her.
In the question and answer section of the listing, it was clear Cindy’s husband had come to realise where he had gone wrong and was contemplating his life choices.
One question from a Trade Me user said: “I’m surprised she didn’t bring forth the light sabre and slash this abomination to shreds…..”, to which he replied: “Point taken, you could say I had the aim of a storm trooper this year … completely missed the mark.”
But after the ordeal, Cindy’s husband had thought long and hard about what she deserved and would be treating her to a massage.
A long one, she said: “I need it”.
And the money from the sale of the shirt?
Cindy said all proceeds from the Trade Me sale would go towards Sea Shepherd – who defend, protect and conserve what she called the “real Jedi”.
* Not her real name
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
