Recently, I got a piano from a friend. I had to research how to get it up to my second floor apartment, which basically boiled down to: hire professionals.

That’s really the best way to do it. The worst way? Well, probably the thing in this story, where two friends ambushed their party guests with a request to help them move a piano.

Let’s see how that worked out.

AITA for declining to help move a piano without warning?

My partner and I were invited by two good friend’s of ours “going away party” that was technically just the two roommates moving out of an apartment together to their own separate apartments within the same building.

For reference, it’s a large, hotel style apartment with 8 floors.

Also for reference, my partner is long time friends of one of the hosts and I have known her less time, but still good friends.

Oh, but before you go, don’t forget your party favor.

About 3/4 of the way through the party, they mention that there is a piano in their old apartment they need our help moving.

It is standard, kind of older beat up upright piano that was 24” wide and 60 inches long.

And from some research easily weighed over 300lbs.

Again, almost end of the party and they drop this on all of us.

It was looking kind of iffy.

All they had was a flat dolly that was a foot wide and 50ish inches long, and we would have had to balance the piano on it to roll it to the elevator and then into the next apartment.

I had not prepared for this nor was I dressed (shoes) for this situation.

Being one of two men there, with 5 other women, I felt this was going to put too much stress on us two men, the other was a boyfriend of one of the hosts, bigger guy that lifts, but I know he has a bit of a chronic low back issue due to a disc bulge he has been dealing with.

I am an average size guy.

The other guy was also visibly not comfortable with the situation.

My partner was definitely a tad intoxicated as well.

Drunk and injured – what better time to do some heavy lifting!

Ultimately, due to not feeling safe, I chose to decline participating in assisting moving the piano. I also felt we were all somewhat manipulated into this potentially unsafe lift/move due to not being told beforehand.

This caused the piano to not be moved and other plans had to made for it to be moved.

There was some frustration but obviously people are trying to be nice and not cause issues. But I could tell my choice caused some issues.

My safety and ultimately bodily health is my responsibility to manage. And I did not feel safe doing this.

AITA for declining to participate in moving the piano?

Health and safety is more important than moving a friend’s piano.

Let’s see what the comments make of this on Reddit:

What a bad move.

The key is preparedness.

Worst party ever.

At the VERY least get a proper dolly.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.