Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What is the strangest thing a stranger has ever said to you?

328 replies

PinkWaferBiscuit · 29/10/2021 11:39

Took my almost 2 year old to the park this morning in between heavy rain showers so he could jump in puddles. When we arrived the park was empty, after about 10 minutes a women arrived with 3 children who began playing with my DS, all good and so she started to make small talk.

This is exactly how the conversation went.

Women - Awww he's a sweetheart what's his name.
Me - Thanks, his name is X. Your 3 are being so kind to include him in their game.
Her - Yeah they are great, it's good they have each other to play with. Is he an only?
Me - Yes.
Her - Oh that's sad... What happens if he dies?
Me - Errrrrrrrr (I was literally speechless)

Who the fuck thinks that's an acceptable thing to say to anyone let alone a random stranger in the park mere feet away from our kids. Confused

Anyway you may not be shocked to learn we then made a hasty retreat and that comment well and truly killed the conversation.

But it got me wondering has a stranger ever said anything even more batshit to you? Or did I meet the strangest stranger ever in our local park and should I perhaps consider moving. Grin

OP posts:
Grida · 29/10/2021 13:41

@polkadotpixie

When I was pregnant with DS a woman approached me at an outdoor gig/party kind of event and we had the following conversation:

Her: Aw, how many weeks are you?
Me: 26
Her: I thought you were about that, I'm a Midwife
Me: Oh really, that must be an interesting job
Her: Do you know if it's a boy or girl?
Me: Yes, it's a boy
Her: You know if he's born now he's quite likely to die
Me: Gawped silently (swift exit)

She sounds like she might be the same lady as OP’s! Spreading her joy around.
thaegumathteth · 29/10/2021 13:43

I was giving dd a bottle when she was about 4 months old and an old woman came up and said 'now don't beat yourself up for not breastfeeding, I breastfed all four of mine but you don't need to think you're a bad mum for not doing that'

I cried. I'd breastfed her older brother and tried to breastfeed her but she had a severe tongue tie and it just didn't work.

pinguwozpushed · 29/10/2021 13:48

When I told someone at work that my second baby was a boy (as was my first), she asked if I was going to do it right next time and get a girl.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Behaviour & development
GreenLunchBox · 29/10/2021 13:48

@PinkWaferBiscuit

My old boss, totally new to my job, at a small newsagents when was 16 or 17, are you late because you were having sex. I mean, what the hell.

Sorry but that tickled me. I mean how do you answer that. If you say no, he obviously wouldn't believe you as he was already thinking you were. Grin Also what kind of a mind do you need to have for that to be your first thought as to why someone is late. Blush

Yeah but she was 16 so it's disgusting and creepy that he said that
furbabymama87 · 29/10/2021 13:52

That's an awful thing to say. Some people are just weird though so don't let it worry you. I once got asked by an elderly woman if I had had an affair because one of my kids was ginger with a black haired father and my baby I was pushing in the buggy was blond. Fact, the red haired child with the black haired father were total strangers who just happened to be walking slightly ahead of me on the street and absolutely nothing to do with me.

Nutgirl · 29/10/2021 13:56

@SpoooookyHalloween

A lady was cooing over my toddler DS1 in the pram, realised I had my newborn in the other side of the double pram.

Her 'ahhh, so sweet, what's her name?'

Me 'oh his name is x'

Her 'oh no, another boy? I bet you really wish he was a girl. What a shame'

I just went 😮 and walked away. Wish I'd told her to fuck off.

I'm a mum of two boys and remember when DS2 was born, at least two strangers suggesting I must be disappointed he was a boy. I just said to not be ridiculous, and that I was overjoyed to have a healthy baby Confused

On my gap year in America, I worked in a department store. When customers would hear me speak in my British accent they would often say things like 'Oh are you from England? Do you know Bob? He lives in London. You must know him.'

Another American once asked me if we had cars in England. This was in the year 2000 Grin

Selfraising · 29/10/2021 13:58

Out walking with my baby DD in a pushchair. Man comes over. "That's what I like to see. Beautiful white girls having beautiful white babies". Racist and creepy all in one.

I also had a similar experience to PP. A few weeks after DD died a man in the street said, very politely "excuse me love, can you help me?" I sort of stepped closer to him, all concerned, "Yeah, sure, are you ok?".
"Can you suck my cock?"
"....what??"
" Suck my cock".

I still think about it now. It totally destroyed me for a while. Obviously combined with grief. But i didn't leave the house for months after that. It was the way he had me concerned for him ffs. What makes these men like this??

My DH had a woman follow him round the supermarket houting "faggot' at him, over and over.

Not sure any compare to the OP though! Absolutely bizarre!

CovidCorvid · 29/10/2021 14:02

At work today and some new volunteers were there. I realised I knew one of them from the gym so went over and said hi.

We chatted about the gym, I asked about his volunteering.

Then he said "are you an admin person". Ehhh no, I'm senior management and in charge of my department.

Not that there's anything wrong with being admin but it just riles me that a bloke in his 60s assumes a younger woman is admin. Why can't he just ask what my role is?

Grida · 29/10/2021 14:03

I was on a training course when I was in my 20’s. On the last day the whole group went to the bar for a few drinks. One of the attendees, a middle aged man who I had hardly spoken to, pulled me aside and said, ‘I’m on to you. You get away with murder but I know what you are up to.’ He then walked away with a knowing smile on his face.

I have no idea what he was talking about! The course very bland and was one of those ones that you just had to shown up to every day. I had sat quietly in the hall during the lectures and made a bit of polite conversation with the others during the breaks. I’d love to know what he thought I was secretly masterminding.

afaloren · 29/10/2021 14:03

Wtf???

A lot of times people ask me if I’m sure my dog is male as their male dog is very interested in him. Pretty sure Confused

Whinge · 29/10/2021 14:05

@Grida

I was on a training course when I was in my 20’s. On the last day the whole group went to the bar for a few drinks. One of the attendees, a middle aged man who I had hardly spoken to, pulled me aside and said, ‘I’m on to you. You get away with murder but I know what you are up to.’ He then walked away with a knowing smile on his face.

I have no idea what he was talking about! The course very bland and was one of those ones that you just had to shown up to every day. I had sat quietly in the hall during the lectures and made a bit of polite conversation with the others during the breaks. I’d love to know what he thought I was secretly masterminding.

Were you wearing a hat? Grin

Maybe you're part of the same story as @PissyMum

SammyScrounge · 29/10/2021 14:07

@Travelledtheworld

A complete stranger walked up to me and said "cheer up love it might never happen".... this was five days after my baby son died...... WTAF? i just started blankly at him.
I almost lived at the hospital whilst my mother was dying. I hadn't had a night's sleep for days. I was numb with grief and fatigue, couldn't think straight. On the bus home, I became aware that a noisy red faced fat man was laughing and telling jokes. He paused and shouted up the bus at me, complaining that I was a miserable bitch with a face like fizz and I should 'crack my enamel' because a smile would do me good. My reply started reasonably enough:l had just come from my mother's deathbed and I really didn't feel like laughing, I said. Especially when the jokes weren't funny. Especially when the comedian was a fuckwit...and on and on I went as I came roaring back to life. Eventually he got off the bus without saying another word. Quite a nasty display from me. But it did me good to get it out.
Original poster
PinkWaferBiscuit · 29/10/2021 14:09

@SammyScrounge I think I love you. What a truly fab retort!

OP posts:
Frankzappa22 · 29/10/2021 14:19

@Hen2018

On a plane back from Austria, the Austrian (presumably) man sitting next to me said, “Are you English? You’ll want my cake then”, and slid his plate of cake over to me!

(I ate it)

That is hilarious! 😂
diddl · 29/10/2021 14:20

@HeyGirlHeyBoy

Oh god Shock

I was on a bus when I was about 23 and a man said that I looked like I worked hard. I was wearing a knee length leather coat, in fashion at time, in case relevant, he had certainly looked me up and down. I said I was, I was teaching and he said 'Oh I thought you worked harder than that' Confused Never quite worked out what that meant! Any ideas?

I can only think that he thought you were a "working girl"!
Cocolapew · 29/10/2021 14:22

What is it with men telling us to cheer up?
I joined a gym in June to use the pool, my Dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I found it helped relax my muscles, but it also made me cry (only a few tears, not full on sobbing) after about 30 minutes of swimming for some reason.
A women noticed one day and asked if I was ok. A man noticed another time and told me to cheer up Hmm
My dad died 3 weeks ago and I was in the pool last week. I was minding my own business, no tears or anything when a man stopped me (!) and opened his mouth to say something. I just glared and said whatever you're planning on saying to me don't fucking dare. He swam off and glared at me the rest of the time I was there. Twat

Aposterhasnoname · 29/10/2021 14:24

@Grida

I was on a training course when I was in my 20’s. On the last day the whole group went to the bar for a few drinks. One of the attendees, a middle aged man who I had hardly spoken to, pulled me aside and said, ‘I’m on to you. You get away with murder but I know what you are up to.’ He then walked away with a knowing smile on his face.

I have no idea what he was talking about! The course very bland and was one of those ones that you just had to shown up to every day. I had sat quietly in the hall during the lectures and made a bit of polite conversation with the others during the breaks. I’d love to know what he thought I was secretly masterminding.

I can help you out with that one. An ex friend used to use almost the exact same line. You were supposed to run after him and ask what he meant, which he’d refuse to reveal of course. Bit like negging.
SpiderinaWingMirror · 29/10/2021 14:34

3 things

  1. neighbour said she admired how I didn't care about my appearance
  2. a women who accosted me at legoland to tell me I had the whitest legs she had ever seen
  3. friend who said she had to be more careful with her dc as she was only (implying that really my dc1 was fairly disposable given I had another)

On all occasions I have just thought "what the actual fuck?"

Rachellow · 29/10/2021 14:36

@Cocolapew

The Russian and hat one 😆

In New York a guy asked me if I was Welsh.
Me: no I'm from N.Ireland (I have an English accent just to confuse things)
Him laughing hysterically: no you're not you're Welsh
Me: I'm not Welsh
Him sarcastically : ok you're not Welsh 🙄
He then asks my name. Which happens to be the same name as a place in Wales🤦
Him: AHA! See? Welsh.

Also from NI and I’ve been mistaken for being Welsh a lot! Once I hadn’t actually spoken yet and was just in the queue. I’ve been asked a few times what’s my 1st language as I don’t sound fluent haha. That’s only been from Greeks or Italians though. I’ve also been shocked at the amount of well educated people who don’t understand the concept of NI and it being in the UK. My uni flatmate asked if I’d got jet lag from my flight from Belfast-London so had to explain time zones. She’s a maths teacher now
firstimemamma · 29/10/2021 14:39

@SpiderinaWingMirror do we have the same lovely neighbour?! Mine said "do you ever feel bad for doing things in the wrong order?" (Referring to us having ds before marriage). No we bloody planned it that way and are married now, ffs!

ElftonWednesday · 29/10/2021 14:40

Someone told me I look like Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds when I was on the Tube one time. True, I did have a blonde bob then and was wearing pink. I just laughed.

Cocolapew · 29/10/2021 14:41

@SpiderinaWingMirror I was in Florida years ago, we were in our second week and were at the beach to book a dolphin spotting boat trip.
The captain of the boat asked if we had just arrived and I said no we've been here 10 days. He looked aghast and asked if I was sure. He then told everyone he'd never seen anyone so white before.
I thought I was looking sunkissed Blush

Original poster
PinkWaferBiscuit · 29/10/2021 14:42

@ElftonWednesday

Someone told me I look like Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds when I was on the Tube one time. True, I did have a blonde bob then and was wearing pink. I just laughed.
Oww I'd take that as a huge compliment, she always seemed so glamorous.
OP posts:
millenialblush · 29/10/2021 14:57

I was on the bus once in London and a man in a suit started saying to me (in a thick Scottish accent) that I need to go back to my own country, fucking Polish coming over here blah blah blah. Only I'm from Lewisham. So I replied in my thickest SE london accent that I didn't know what he was talking about, he was the one who sounded like he wasn't from round here. Cue lots of sniggering from other passengers and him not knowing how to respond.

diamondpony80 · 29/10/2021 15:01

An older man started up a conversation with me as I was standing in front of a shop waiting for a friend. He was pleasant enough and as I was waiting anyway I chatted to him. He proceeded to tell me he was Jesus. With some knowledge of the bible, I had plenty of questions for him, and got some surprisingly interesting answers! That was one of the weirdest conversations I've had with a stranger.