Dad lied about favorite animal for decades to protect son’s feelings

Oh, the hu-manatee.

A mortified man has admitted to lying about his love of manatees for almost a quarter-century to protect the feelings of his son — who has showered him with dugong-related gifts since he was a kid. He came clean about his whale of a tail in a post making waves on Reddit.

“I only said I loved manatees to soothe the feelings of my young son over two decades ago,” the guilt-racked parent confessed. “Year after year, I rolled with the lie because it was harmless and I was in too deep to tell him the truth.”

The Post reached out to the Redditor for comment.

According to the post, the fin-related fib started 24 years ago when the man’s son, then 6, gifted his father a “mug with a picture of a manatee on it” for his birthday.

“He got upset when I wasn’t sufficiently thrilled with his gift,” the rueful Redditor recalled. “I assured him that I loved it, saying that manatees were my favorite animals in the whole wide world.

Unbeknownst to him at the time, he would have to live this lie for years. The man explained that since his initial fabrication, “manatee-themed items have been my default gift” from junior, who has inundated his doting dad with “manatee shirts, manatee calendars, manatee beer steins, and so much more.”

The Redditor lamented that there are now “24 years of manatee items, displayed proudly in my home.”

Maintaining this festering facade has been particularly taxing as the roly-poly sea cows are not even close to his favorite animal, which is a dog, per the post.

“My confession is that manatees are not my favorite animal in the whole wide world,” he admitted. “Never have been. I have nothing against them and they seem like gentle creatures, but they hold no fascination for me. “

Unfortunately, now the “deception has reached its zenith,” per the poster, who said that next year he is turning 55 and his son 30, and that his progeny had planned a special marine mammal-themed present for Xmas.

“My son has booked a trip for the two of us to go to Florida to see manatees,” the mortified father recalled. “My son is so excited for this trip and is telling everyone in our family about it. Even my ex-wife is gushing about my trip to finally see the manatees.”

Despite his lack of love for the oceanic grazers, the proud dad said he is so thrilled to on an adventure with his son, which he’s surely will be “lovely” and spawn “great memories” and demonstrates “thoughtfulness and love for his old man.”

In accordance, the Redditor vowed to “continue the deception about the manatees… which are not my favorite animals in the whole wide world.”

Reddit found the post both poignant and hilarious with one commenter writing, “You’re going to have to take this secret to your grave, I’m afraid.”

Another quipped, “You will be buried in a manatee-style coffin and smile about it. You and your son sound amazing.”

However, others believed that the father would change his mind after clapping his eyes on the so-called potatoes of the sea.

“Plot twist: once you actually see manatees up close, they will indeed become your favorite animals in the whole wide world,” declared one.

Another theorized that whether or not manatees were his fave was beside the point, as it helped strengthen the relationship between father and son.

“They are the animal that has bonded you and your son for life,” they wrote. “Imagine a 30-year-old wanting to go on a trip with their dad to look at their favorite animal. Manatees ARE now your favorite animal!”