Help Please: Problems with Best Friend's Husband
My best friend's husband is a tattoo artist. My FH has tattoos, all in Japanese style. My bf's husband has said he prefers to work in traditional style which is a different from FH's tattoo style. FH has always gone to artists who specialize in Japanese style. FH has also said he would prefer not to get a tattoo from a friend. Recently FH asked my BF's husband for a small tattoo that he considered more the traditional style. BF's husband said it wouldn't be a good spot and turned him down. FH was fine with that.
After that, FH went to visit a Japanese style artist to look into getting a bigger tattoo. Later that night when we were all hanging out, I stupidly mentioned this. BF's husband got super offended assuming FH doesn't have faith in his tattoo work. I tried explaining FH wanted an artist that specializes in japanese style and that we both think he's a really great artist, but BF's husband actually got up, said 'Whatever, I'm leaving' and walked out on us. My BF hugged me and my FH and said goodbye.
I talked to my BF over the phone, she said she can see my FH's point of view and has been trying to talk to her husband about it. She also tried explaining her husband's point of view. I said I can understand that her husband's ego might be a little hurt and I don't like being so blunt about it, but ultimately it's my FH's body and choice and I didn't like her FH walked out on us like that. She agreed, she didn't like that either.
Yesterday I received a long email from my BF's husband. In summary, he basically said I know you and your FH didn't mean to offend me, but it's a slap in the face that my FH only asked him for a very simple tattoo and would rather pay a few hundred dollars to go to a stranger than get a free tattoo from him because obviously my FH doesn't have faith in his work. In response to us explaining that my FH wanted an artist who specializes in Japanese style, her husband said 'I'm a master level artist, I can tattoo the Japanese style just as well as anyone he's going to go to. I prefer to market myself traditional style, but if one of my friends asked me to do that style, of course I would.' In the email, her husband never apologized for storming out and leaving us.
What should my FH and I do now about the situation? This isn't going to break up my relationship with my BF, we've been friends for a long time, I know she's a good friend. But what do we say now in response to this email?
After that, FH went to visit a Japanese style artist to look into getting a bigger tattoo. Later that night when we were all hanging out, I stupidly mentioned this. BF's husband got super offended assuming FH doesn't have faith in his tattoo work. I tried explaining FH wanted an artist that specializes in japanese style and that we both think he's a really great artist, but BF's husband actually got up, said 'Whatever, I'm leaving' and walked out on us. My BF hugged me and my FH and said goodbye.
I talked to my BF over the phone, she said she can see my FH's point of view and has been trying to talk to her husband about it. She also tried explaining her husband's point of view. I said I can understand that her husband's ego might be a little hurt and I don't like being so blunt about it, but ultimately it's my FH's body and choice and I didn't like her FH walked out on us like that. She agreed, she didn't like that either.
Yesterday I received a long email from my BF's husband. In summary, he basically said I know you and your FH didn't mean to offend me, but it's a slap in the face that my FH only asked him for a very simple tattoo and would rather pay a few hundred dollars to go to a stranger than get a free tattoo from him because obviously my FH doesn't have faith in his work. In response to us explaining that my FH wanted an artist who specializes in Japanese style, her husband said 'I'm a master level artist, I can tattoo the Japanese style just as well as anyone he's going to go to. I prefer to market myself traditional style, but if one of my friends asked me to do that style, of course I would.' In the email, her husband never apologized for storming out and leaving us.
What should my FH and I do now about the situation? This isn't going to break up my relationship with my BF, we've been friends for a long time, I know she's a good friend. But what do we say now in response to this email?
