The strangest thing someone said to you that sticks in your mind

[JamesBondOO7]

Over 35 years ago a workmate of mine a bloke asked me why I was off the day before and I told him I went to a funeral of a relative.

As we talked he said his brother had died when they were both in their early 30's and then blurted out "I did not go to his funeral." (They both lived locally to the other) I asked him why not. He said, "he was dead he (his brother) would not of known.."

The guy was not joking and it has stuck in my mind since - the bloke was a good workmate we had laughs/chats but that made me feel uneasy and funny about him

"Are they twins?"
They were 2mo and 2yo at the time. And again when they were 1&3yo...

@YogaLite I'd take that to mean that if you hadn't both been at the group on the day you met, she'd have lost out on the chance to meet you and become your friend as you wouldn't otherwise have met.

She didn't phrase it well, admittedly, but I think she was paying you a compliment, or at least trying to.

Code name. Tiger.

Tonight at 12.00 the world will end.

Be careful.

At work many years ago, someone called the office to complain about a “languid female” they’d spoken to earlier on the phone - I answered the call and discovered I was said languid female! I was a bit offended, but we had a good laugh about it!

In year 10 a teacher that had taught me since year 8 said 'oh you're quite clever for a Hispanic girl!'

For context, I was born in the UK and have never spoken Spanish. Latina/hispanic is just my ethnic heritage (very visibly).

‘Your teeth look like you come from money’- a patient of mine a few years ago.

I was also asked if my DCs were twins in a double buggy. There’s 20 months between them and I ditched the buggy when the eldest turned 3 (used a buggy board).

Random drunk man to me on a bus in North London started telling me all about himself. "I'm a Mayo man", asked if I knew where Mayo was and then asked if he'd seen me at Dublin airport last week. Then he asked my first name, wrote me a Christmas card and got off the bus.

Walking from a bus station to the shops. Random man walks past me, turns to face me and shouts "Fuck off" at me.

"Is that your baby"
"Yes"
"Oh, it's just that you don't look like a Mother"

Boggle. I am an average looking woman.

on an empty bus years ago, a complete stranger (a man) came and sat next to me.
I immediately got a strong sense of foreboding. 5 mins into the journey he turned his whole body towards me and asked "can I say something to you please?" to which I stood up and got off at the next stop! I've always wondered what he wanted to say. (probably something sleazy)

I am a health professional. Several years ago an elderly patent said to me “ I used to be nice and plump like you but look at me now” … I was a size 10😗

I've been asked by a couple in Morrison's cafe when DD was an infant if I was a single parent and when I said I wasn't, why I wasn't wearing a wedding ring. A few people who only knew me vaguely as a colleague or acquaintance have asked if DD & DS have the same Dad.
There is a clear pattern of randomers being preoccupied with the status of young mothers emerging isn't there?

This reminds me of one from a co worker not long after I told my boss I was pregnant.

'I heard about your little.... problem'.

No - it wasnt a problem at all. It was a planned baby. It might have been a problem to the company but not to me.

Forgot about our neighbours when we moved into our first home.

We'd just moved in and were cleaning the floor. Doorbell rings.
"Hello. We're your next door neighbours." Eyeing us both suspiciously, "Are you married?"

Woman in charity shop to my DC several years ago, "Are you having a lovely time with your grandma?"
Me, "Actually, I'm the mother."
Woman: "Are you SURE?"

One day was out with DH at a local historical property and one of the tour guides (older woman) suddenly stopped talking, turned to me and said, "You're pregnant." I laughed (uncomfortably) and said no, definitely not!

One week later period was late and what she'd said came back to me, did a test and she was right, came up very obvious line straight away.

We did not go ahead with the pregnancy for many reasons but I think of what she said a lot, still weirds me out that she knew.

@ButchersGirl this happened to me! A woman I saw regularly at a bus stop said how long until baby is here. I just mumbled a while whilst thinking must lose weight. A week later discovered I was pregnant.

At my colleagues leaving do (she was leaving to go on maternity leave) our male boss couldn’t believe she’d be off for a whole year. He said she should make sure she did something worthwhile with the time, like learn a language 😳🙄

There's a pattern with women and children!

Pushing pram with 2 month old DS and a woman angrily said 'Are you proud of yourself taking up the entire pavement and not paying attention?' When I was astounded she got nasty and said I was ignoring her needs (apparently I should move over for her as she was older (about 50, so not old!) and I had a lack of respect, additionally I was neglecting my child (I was on a hands-free call to a friend wishing me happy birthday) and was clearly a bad mother. When I was shocked into silence she said 'That's touched a nerve'.

I cried on the way home- i was 32 and a professional, but as a first-time mother, struggling with breast-feeding and a colicky baby I was exhausted and hormonal.

Bitch. DS is 18 and I'd still like to push her onto the fucking road.

Yes, I probably got the strangest comments and reactions when I was pregnant and had small children. It was like you become public property and everyone gets to judge you and it did my head in. Someone tutting because I was talking to DD1 when she was a baby, in the supermarket. Someone accused me of being a feckless teenage single parent - I was married, 29 years old and earned more than DH.

Funnily enough this morning! I dropped by my local bakery to pick up a baguette and the girl on the till said "why do you buy a baguette every day?" . I said "erm..because we like them?"
And she said "no, I meant how do you eat it? Do you stuff it or something?"
I replied that we most often make sandwiches and she looked at me with a puzzled look on her face and said"but isn't it hard?"

Not said to me but something I said!

In a queue in a busy supermarket with my three children aged 6 weeks, 14 months and almost 4 year old a lady said how lovely the children were. I replied jokingly that they were giving children away with packets of soap powder so I picked up a couple. Sadly she said she wished they were as she was unable to have children. I felt awful and wished I’d thought before speaking.

Someone tutting because I was talking to DD1 when she was a baby, in the supermarket

My sister had this. As she spoke to DN about what she was picking, what meal it was for etc a man leaned in and said 'She can't understand you, you know'. DSis said she was just engaging with her, man shook his head and laughed loudly as if Dsis was the bloody mad one! Makes me so angry.

Local butter once told me I had legs like a Queen Anne table. I still don’t know if it was a compliment or an insult.

A colleague who was very into woo said to me in the late 90s:

'You were an army doctor in WW2. You were killed when your vehicle was blown up by a landmine'.

Ohhhh. Ok, thanks Liz.

Local butter once told me I had legs like a Queen Anne table. I still don’t know if it was a compliment or an insult.