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Innocuous conversations that you have overheard that have stayed with you...

351 replies

drownininplaymobil · 20/02/2020 15:26

When my dc were pre-schoolers, I was in some toilets in a church, wrestling various small humans with their pants/handwashing etc.
A student (I think) came in and said to her friend "My hair felt weird so I thought I'd come and have a look at it in the mirror".
I can remember at the time wondering when the last time was that I had time to look in a mirror other than when I was brushing my teeth. And slightly resenting the fact that this gorgeous young thing had the freedom to just saunter about noticing how her hair 'felt'.
Such a small throwaway comment but it really stuck with me. Anyone else?

OP posts:
1NeedPampering · 22/02/2020 22:24

Funniest thread ever!

SinkGirl · 22/02/2020 22:44

I was chatting to an Australian guy once who said he was going to visit friends in Loogabarooga, which is clearly some part of the Australian outback, right?

No. It was Loughborough.

Paperdolly · 22/02/2020 22:49

Around Christmas a couple of years ago in a local laundrette (in the days I didn’t own a tumble drier).

Mother of a large family. “Come on kids. There’s a film on this afternoon we can watch’. I’ve never seen it”
“What is it Mam?”
“Sound o’ Music”
“What’s it about Mam?”
“Summink about nuns”. 😳

Cheeryandmerry · 22/02/2020 22:55

Queuing behind a lady buying theatre tickets for Pericles. Which she rhymed with icicles. It was really sweet. We always say it that way now.

angelfacecuti75 · 23/02/2020 00:16

Not an overheard one but one convo with a colleague who said:
"My friend had a platonic pregnancy."
I swiftly replied to colleague Barbara *
"Babs I don't think you can have one of those. "
(She meant eptopic)

SanFranBear · 23/02/2020 00:37

Sorry but 'Matthew, mind your penis' Grin Fabulous!

Paperdolly · 23/02/2020 00:51

Overheard in a cafe yesterday, “This HRT roadway spending is getting out of hand!”

ImOnlyHereForTheCapybaras · 23/02/2020 04:03

Matthew, mind your penis

Very good idea to use that for your husband. One of my male friends burnt his willy on the grill why making toast. Quite why he wasn't wearing trousers, I never understood

ImOnlyHereForTheCapybaras · 23/02/2020 04:04

while making toast, not why

ImOnlyHereForTheCapybaras · 23/02/2020 04:08

SinkGirl re: Arkansas, I thought I was the only one who for years thought Arkinsaw must be somewhere different. Very odd pronounciation.

This wasn't me personally but someone else. Having a conversation in the pub with her boyfriend. Gist of the conversation was:

Girlfriend: Oh, and we saw some baby guinea pigs- they were so cute!!
Boyfriend: guinea pigs have babies???? I thoguht you just bought them! Shock

sashh · 23/02/2020 07:46

SinkGirl

I bet she was a Jehovah's Witness. They would be the hospital liaison committee.

They visit but they also put pressure on if a dr recommends a blood transfusion.

SinkGirl · 23/02/2020 08:42

Ah, that makes sense!

GinPin2 · 23/02/2020 09:11

Husband, "Is next Friday the last day of the month?"
Me, "No, it is a leap year, next Saturday is the 29th of February"
Husband , "Okay, what day of the week will that be?" !!!

GeistohneGrenzen · 23/02/2020 10:12

SinkGirl I think your explanation for the pronunciation Loogabarooga sounds very plausible Grin.
I did once overhear someone asking the bus driver if the bus went to Higga Wiccomby (High Wycombe).

catsareme14 · 23/02/2020 10:13

Two elderly ladies . 'It's a good job Hilda died , she wouldn't have been happy with only one leg '

WorkHardPlayHard1 · 23/02/2020 10:23

OMG why oh why didn't you call the boy Tom!?! 👦🏻😁

suitsyoumadam · 23/02/2020 12:08

Glaswegian builder (boss) on the scaffold outside the house, telling off one of his men:
"Don't piss on my back an' tell me it's raining!"

MulticolourMophead · 23/02/2020 12:20

Couple of good natured Scottish squaddies behind me on the train; drunk beyond repair, boisterous and happy, they suddely became very quiet when we passed Chesterfield and they spotted the famous crooked spire
Subdued and worried muttering then started as to whether they'd really seen that, so in a spirit of helpfulness I turned round and assured them that actually it was perfectly straight

That's so funny, love it Grin. I'd never have thought something like that up until long afterwards.

MulticolourMophead · 23/02/2020 12:29

Graphista We do have the odd English town name that causes pronunciation issues. Have heard Loughborough mangled a few times Grin

GiantKitten · 23/02/2020 12:30

Loughborough took Loogabarooga to its heart Smile

Innocuous conversations that you have overheard that have stayed with you...
SinkGirl · 23/02/2020 12:40

That’s amazing! Clearly not the only one to make that error. Definitely does sound Aussie though 😂

GiantKitten · 23/02/2020 12:41

There’s a place in Lancs called Barnoldswick.
Pronounced Barlick (even by google maps woman!)

MulticolourMophead · 23/02/2020 12:41

Loughborough is a nice town, I live not far from there. Have heard Leicester pronunced Lie cestor before now.

FlamingoAndJohn · 23/02/2020 12:44

The Loughborough story has been doing the rounds for at least 30 years.

Chanel05 · 23/02/2020 13:02

Worked in a call centre about 12 years ago and was in an outbound department. A girl I sat next to was looking at her calls list and asked me to confirm a name before she rang - "Goo-Free" after falling about laughing I told her it was actually pronounced Geoffrey. My biggest mistake was correcting her as it would have been hilarious to witness that call.