She thought her boyfriend locking her out in a CVS Pharmacy parking lot was 'just a joke' — until a stranger stopped to warn her
The boy kept on moving the car forward a bit at a time while his girlfriend was helplessly trotting around, trying to get inside
Humor, jokes, and comedy are part of every romantic relationship. They help couples evade boredom, make memories, and resolve conflicts with a lighthearted tone. The problem arises when a joke tips over the edge, to the point that it starts feeling intimidating or uncomfortable to one or both partners. In a May 18, 2026, post on Instagram Threads, a woman named Kim Delgado (@marystuartflowers) shared an incident she witnessed about a young couple that left her wondering whether it was plain humor or a mishandling of the relationship.
Comedy that didn't look like comedy
Delgado encountered the couple in the parking lot of a Consumer Value Store (CVS). A high-school-aged boy walked out and got into his car while his girlfriend was left waiting at the passenger door as he locked the doors behind him. She was trying to get in, laughing awkwardly as the boy kept on inching the car forward a bit at a time, making her trot around it. The woman walked closer and asked the girl, “Is that your boyfriend?” She answered yes. Delgado told her, “He should not be treating you this way. This is abuse.”
The incident kept on replaying in Delgado's mind as she wondered what the boy’s parents were teaching him that he thought was a funny or reasonable thing to do with his girlfriend. When she relayed the story to her four kids, two girls and two boys, her 10-year-old son said, “He should be opening the door for her, not locking her out.”
Humor in relationships
As many readers pointed out, the extent and type of humor one plays out in their relationship indicates the type of attachment style they have, according to a study published in the European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education. Researchers surveyed 636 adults and found that while affectionate humor builds intimacy, jokes disguised as hostility are a defensive maneuver used to exert power, avoid conflict, maintain emotional distance, or project an insecure attachment style.
Relationship expert Dr. John Gottman researched dozens of couples and revealed that hostile humor is actually a form of contempt, which is one of the most reliable predictors of conflict and the end of a relationship in 90% of cases. Among readers who joined the discussion, most felt exactly this: that the boyfriend’s gesture wasn’t just a joke.
Readers discuss boundaries
@kdeanbailey said, “And if you have to tell me ‘it was just a joke,’ it wasn’t.” @studiovetro_glass shared, “My ex-husband did this once when we were dating. It's humiliating because they make you look like a fool, usually in front of other people. And then when you're upset, you can't take a joke. I wish I had been braver many years ago.” Others had different perspectives on the situation. @randilou66, for example, asserted, “You mean you have never done this to your siblings or friends when you were a teenager? That is not abuse.” Ultimately, whether it was mistreatment or just a joke, only the couple would know, but those who have witnessed or read about them have learned a lesson on what the boundary of humor is in a relationship.
You can follow Kim Delgado (@marystuartflowers) on Threads to stay notified of their posts.
More on Scoop Upworthy
Woman shares a red flag that everyone should avoid while looking for a life partner
Share on Facebook
