to find it irritating when people seem to think there's something wrong when there's not?

[onthepier]

This hasn't happened a lot but a few times, including today!

I was walking back from work, calculating how much time I had before the school run to get things done, bearing in mind one of my dc's was going out to tea so I had two pick-ups to do as well as friends coming round later this evening!

Suddenly a car pulled up next to me and it was the lady down the road. She said, "Are you ok, you look very solemn!" I brushed it off, saying, "Oh no, just too much to do and too little time!", laughing. She still sat there, looking a me quizzically, so I said, "Honestly I'm fine!" She shrugged, laughed and at last drove off.

The other week I was in a taxi, having done a full shop because my in-laws were coming for the weekend. I suppose I was thinking, "Crumbs, they'll be here soon! Have I got time to unpack shoppping/clean bathrooms/tidy up etc/need to check whether after school club is on otherwise will have to do pick-up soon!" The taxi driver was a particularly chatty one and I was polite and chatty to him but maybe pre-occupied, .

As he dropped me off he said, "My god, caught you on a bad day didn't I, what's bitten you?!" I said I was fine, sorry if I'd been deep in thought! I then asked if there was any more shopping in the boot. He almost shouted, "Course there isn't, I'd have said or gone back wouldn't I!" He then stomped down my driveway and drove off shaking his head! I must admit I felt quite upset, he seemed a nice bloke and I honestly didn't see how I'd offended him. On both these occasions I'd been feeling quite happy, just had a lot to do that was all!

Anybody else have this, or do you manage to "shelve" your own thoughts when you're out and about?

[itsmeolord]

I have a friend who constantly does this. If i don't wear a huge smile and laugh a lot she asks lots of hushed questions about whether or not dp and I have had a row.

[scrappydappydoo]

I get this quite a lot as well especially wandering around tescos where apparently I wander past people I know who are waving and practically shouting my name but I 'ignore' them as I'm in my 'tesco zone'... so I empathize

[LaurieFairyCake]

you appear to be crossing the line between looking deep in thought and looking like you need help

weird for someone to stop though. My dh has a grumpy face when in repose (and he's not grumpy) and he's always getting asked what's wrong.

[dogonpoints]

You just have a miserabel face. A bit like myself.

[ShellingPeas]

It's that thing when you walk along and some git kind person says "cheer up love, it'll never happen". Makes me want to smack them.

[Littlepurpleprincess]

I hate that saying. It obviously already has happened or I wouldn't look so upset....Makes me want to smack them too.

You remind me of Arthur Dent from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, it says "the thing that worried him the most, was that people were always asking what he was so worried about".

[generalunrest]

People have said that I look really arsey when I'm in the street, even going as far as to say they thought I was going to punch them!! It's just that I don't have any expression on my face when I'm walking around, to me I'd look a bit manic if I walked around with a smile on my face all the time, prob be accused of looking smug

[2rebecca]

I hate the "don't worry it may never happen" comments from total strangers (usually blokes) esp as I'm not usually worrying, just thinking. If women don't have big beams on their faces why do some blokes think it's OK to comment? I'm not their personal clown.

Early on in our relationship bloke used to as "what's up?" again usually when nothing was up and I was just thinking or not smiling inanely.
He now knows that makes me angry and just asks "are you OK" or accepts I'm thinking if I'm not cheerful and smiling and just leaves me be for a while.

[onthepier]

Thanks for your posts, at least there are others who have this too! I suppose it just made me paranoid that this happened twice in the last month or so, especially as I'm generally a pretty cheerful person!

[deaddei]

And when people say "aren't you feeling well, you don't look it"=when you're feeling fine and actually thought you looked if not shit hot, then at least ok.