When Metric Meets Malice: The Hilarious Tale of Rehab, Rulers, and Rebel Units
Imagine you’re in physical rehab, already dealing with the brain-fogging challenge of recovering from a brain edema, and suddenly your physical therapist tells you to move “a few inches.” But you’re German, in Ireland, and your mind runs natively in metric. What do you do? If you’re u/TenNinetythree, you don’t just point out the confusion—you make a joke, and then watch as everyone takes it to its most gloriously absurd conclusion.
This is the story of how one patient’s quick wit, a therapist’s surprising dedication, and the internet’s obsession with obscure measurement systems collided to create a memorable episode of “malicious compliance”—and a Reddit thread that sent commenters down a delightful nerd spiral.
When Inches Just Won’t Do
Our story starts in a rehab clinic in Ireland, where the original poster (let’s call them OP) was working on recovery after a brain edema. For OP, who hails from Germany, the metric system is second nature. So when their Irish physical therapist (PT) started instructing them to adjust their body by “a couple of inches,” OP was left scratching their head.
But rather than grumble, OP took the classic “if you can’t beat them, outwit them” approach: “I only do metric or traditional Burmese Units!” they quipped. It’s the kind of joke that could easily fall flat—or, in the hands of the right audience, spark a chain reaction of nerdy hilarity.
Turns out, the PT was just the right audience. From the next session on, they told OP to adjust their position by “a couple of let thit!” That’s right—Burmese units. Not centimeters. Not inches. Let thit.
The Let Thit Legacy: When Compliance Gets Creative
If you’ve never heard of a “let thit,” you’re not alone. As Redditor u/nymalous explained for the bewildered masses, a let thit is “the Burmese equivalent of 0.75 inch or 19.05mm.” Not only did OP’s PT take the joke in stride—they went home, did their research, and returned ready to comply, if not maliciously, then at least mischievously.
The community loved it. “I find it admirable that your PT actually did some research to accommodate you,” u/nymalous noted, highlighting the therapist’s above-and-beyond attitude. Another commenter, u/otchris, quipped that this was “almost more r/adorablecompliance,” which, honestly, feels like a new genre of wholesome internet content.
The thread soon became a gathering of measurement nerds, with users sharing their own esoteric favorites. There was talk of the FFF system (Furlongs, Fortnights, and Firkin, for the uninitiated), with u/nymalous joking, “My coworker and I just calculated the average drift rate of my desk chair to be 0.763728 furlongs/fortnight.” Meanwhile, u/Kitchen_Name9497 reminisced about answering exam questions in “furlongs per fortnight” at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The Metric–Imperial–Everything-Else Melting Pot
Beneath the jokes, the post and comments revealed a deeper truth: the world of measurements is, well, a mess. And nowhere is this more evident than in Ireland and the UK. As OP clarified, “The Irish are weird: they use kph and Celsius, but stones for body weight, but grams for cooking.” Irish commenter u/shrugea confirmed: “Everything but humans are measured in metric. Most people use stone/pounds for weight, F° for body temp... and feet/inches for height.”
It’s not just Ireland. Americans chimed in about living with “a quirky mix” of metric and imperial. As u/FeatherlyFly pointed out, “2-liter bottles of seltzer, 500ml water bottles, medications in mg, food in grams, ounces, and pounds. My toolset has metric tools and US standard tools.” And when it comes to temperature? u/Nunov_DAbov shared their engineer friend’s simple Celsius guide: “Temperature in the 30s? Stay inside, it’s too hot. 20s? Ideal. Teens? Wear a jacket. Single digits? Wear a warm coat. Minus single digits? Wear a heavy coat. Minus teens? Stay inside, it’s too cold.” Logical, if not exactly precise.
When Humor Heals (and Teaches)
What started as a lighthearted jab at measurement confusion turned into a moment of connection—between patient and therapist, and then between hundreds of Redditors. In the comments, community members shared their own recovery stories, like u/nymalous, who described relearning how to walk, talk, and even study math after brain injury—proof that humor and resilience go hand in hand.
And of course, the thread was a reminder of how even the most technical topics can spark joy. “So, this is almost more r/adorablecompliance,” said u/otchris, applauding both OP’s knowledge and the PT’s playful spirit. As u/blbd added, “That PT worker had about the best response imaginable to German humor.”
Conclusion: Let Thit Laughter Lead the Way
Whether you measure your life in inches, centimeters, let thit, or even furlongs per fortnight, one thing is clear: sometimes a little humor (and a dash of nerdiness) can bridge even the weirdest cultural divides. The next time you’re confused by units—or just by life in general—remember this tale of measurement mischief. Ask for metric, but be ready for Burmese. And always be careful what you wish for.
Have your own weird measurement story? Is your toolbox a jumble of sockets in imperial and metric? Share your favorite unit (real or imaginary) in the comments below—bonus points if you can use it in a sentence!
Let thit the good times roll.
Original Reddit Post: Be careful what you ask for