It was last Christmas when I (27f) had the joy of inviting my family and friends to a unique “dinner and a show” experience, not only for the festive spirit but also because I had contributed to designing some of the costumes for the evening’s performance. We were all seated at a significant table close to the stage in a tiered theatre setting, where the seating arrangement included multiple levels of tables each descending closer towards the stage. Positioned at the back of our table, my seating placement put me exactly at head level with the table directly above us.

As we began to enjoy our meal served from a delectable buffet, an alarm suddenly went off right next to my ear. The couple from the table above was away filling their plates, and as the shrill beep continued unabated by my side, it became disruptively loud. After enduring the unpleasant noise for a couple of minutes, I noticed that the source was an iPhone. In an attempt to halt the disturbance, I reached over and lightly tapped the snooze button on the phone. I firmly planned to notify the couple upon their return, presuming the alarm could have been a simple reminder, possibly for medication.

However, my actions didn't sit well with my mom who was seated opposite me. She was visibly shocked and began reprimanding me for handling someone else’s belongings. Although I explained that I merely snoozed the alarm to cease the loud noise, she firmly lectured me on the inappropriateness of my actions, even suggesting the alarm could have been set for something crucial like medication timing. I remember retorting that I had only snoozed it and intended to inform the owners as soon as they came back. Nevertheless, my mom continued her reproach in front of everyone, including my friends and soon-to-be sister-in-law, criticizing my behavior.

Upon the couple's return, I immediately apologized for my action and explained the situation. They were understanding and even apologized for the inconvenience caused by their unattended phone alarm. Surprisingly, they weren’t upset about me touching their phone at all.

Since then, the incident has been a recurring topic. My mom remains unapologetic and firm on her stance, which has been somewhat embarrassing in front of family and friends. While many support my decision, citing the disturbance caused by the noise, some do share my mom's view on privacy and the sanctity of personal belongings.

In another light, imagine if this incident had unfolded on a reality show. How would the audience react to such a scenario? Would they side with me for trying to diminish a continuous annoyance, or would they agree with my mom's perspective on privacy? Reality TV thrives on these kinds of personal dilemmas and audience polls on such matters could lead to heated debates in the comment sections or even affect viewer perceptions of the characters involved.

Am I wrong for snoozing the phone alarm?

Should I have snoozed the alarm at the theater?