Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

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

How to deal with a third person interrupting me

3 replies

MrsSpencerCharnas · 03/08/2025 14:15

So this has happened to me a couple of times and I really don't know how to handle this. So looking for ideas if it happens again.

There I was talking to person A when person B has come up to me to talk to me about something completely different. Just cuts me off mid sentence. A & B don't know each other. I was in the town center as there was an event on so was in a public space.

Previously when it happened A and B were two different people to A and B today.

If I talked to person A then I'm being rude to B. If I talked to B then I'm rude to A. I don't want to be rude to either. So how do I politely say to B that I'll talk to them when I've finished the first conversation? "sorry 2 mins, I'm just talking to A here" or will that make both A and B uncomfortable?

My DCs tend to do it when I'm talking to DH, but that's easy to deal with cos I don't need to be as polite to them and me telling them not to do it is trying to instill some manners to them. Its not something that I can say to someone outside of my family in the same way.

OP posts:
ohyesido · 03/08/2025 16:33

“Hold on I’m talking to A at the moment B”

B is the rude one not you. If you stop talking to A then you become the rude person

Hatty65 · 03/08/2025 16:37

'Just a minute, Brenda. I'm in the middle of saying something to Anne'.

If Brenda feels uncomfortable she might learn some manners.

HollyBookBlue · 03/08/2025 17:38

Interrupt B and say, "Oh hi B, have you met A? We were just talking about where to buy soft bath towels" and then carry on your conversation with A, and if B joins in with the topic at hand, fine.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page