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Original poster

Spiralling after April Fools joke

70 replies

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 20:57

Hi,
Please be kind. My anxiety is in overdrive.
I work in sales. There's a particular product, let's call it X, that's notoriously difficult to get hold of. Comes from overseas, long delays, awkward supplier etc. Thankfully, customers only request product X very rarely.
Anyway, I was speaking to a colleague the other day and the chat basically ended with, 'could be worse, we could be trying to get hold of X!' And we were laughing about it.
So this morning, a call is put through to me as I was asked for by name, even though there are several of us. The caller asked me about the availability of X. Instantly, I knew it was my colleague winding me up. I laughed and said 'I can't believe you've done this.' The caller asked about it again, and then I got sarcastic, 'oh yeah, I think I can get that for this afternoon for you.' The call ended with me laughing, telling him to jog on and hanging up.
Except... My colleague is absolutely adamant that it wasn't him. Adamant. I even got someone else to ask him, thinking he would confess. Still the same answer.
I can't stop thinking about it now. There is a very small chance it was a genuine customer with a genuine request. I'm terrified that they will make a complaint, and I'll get a warning, or worse.
I can't concentrate on anything else, it just keeps going round in my head, how I should've handled it differently.
I know none of you can tell me whether it was a joke or not. But has anyone got any advice about how I can stop it eating me up?!
Thank you for reading.

OP posts:

Springandaprayer · 01/04/2026 21:03

If it was genuine, and that was the response, I'd just go elsewhere and never deal with your company again. So it's a sale lost but not much else. Surely it could have been a different colleague if you all know how hard it is to get this thing?

TheDenimPoet · 01/04/2026 21:03

I don't know how you can stop it eating you up - I'm an overthinker who still cringes about things that happened 20 years ago!

But I promise you it doesn't matter. You thought it was a joke, it wasn't. Nothing will come of it. It's more likely your manager would find it amusing if you explained. I know mine would.

These things seem so huge to overthinkers, but in the real world, they just don't matter.

Shinyandnew1 · 01/04/2026 21:07

I’m intrigued by what the product is!

TheNorns · 01/04/2026 21:10

But why would he confess, when, if you’re the kind of person who plays April Fool jokes at work, clearly watching you go crazy with stress about it is clearly much funnier?

Honestly, OP, you need to get your anxiety under control. Worst case scenario, it was a genuine call and you lost a sale, and someone complains. You’ll deal with that if it happens.

ShakyBake · 01/04/2026 21:13

I can't help with the product x matter but I can only say I can relate to your overthinking, I'm exactly the same. I had a horrible experience this evening with an overflowing petrol pump I couldn't turn off and I've gone over the whole thing so many times in my head I've given myself a migraine (although possibly the petrol fumes too)

ShakyBake · 01/04/2026 21:14

TheNorns · 01/04/2026 21:10

But why would he confess, when, if you’re the kind of person who plays April Fool jokes at work, clearly watching you go crazy with stress about it is clearly much funnier?

Honestly, OP, you need to get your anxiety under control. Worst case scenario, it was a genuine call and you lost a sale, and someone complains. You’ll deal with that if it happens.

That's easier said then done when you can't switch mind off

mycatwearsahat · 01/04/2026 21:15

Did it sound like your colleague on the phone? Is there a chance he asked someone else to call you? I would be inclined to still think it was an April Fool, maybe they will fess up tomorrow.

Original poster

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 21:19

Thank you to those who can relate, I honestly wish it was as simple as just 'get your anxiety under control.'
@Springandaprayerit could be another colleague. It's just strange how we were speaking about it just the other day. And he is a known joker.
@Shinyandnew1it's really boring, a replacement part for a machine!

OP posts:

LovesLabradors · 01/04/2026 21:20

Oh OP - sorry I had to laugh!
I'm also an over thinker and still cringe about things I did 20+ years ago, so I do know how you feel.
You say it's weird to be asked for by name? I still think it probably was someone setting you up...
You could try to compartmentalise - tell yourself, ok so this happened, but I'm not going to think about it until I know there's actually something to worry about... have you ever considered CBT?

NotMrPerfectAfterAll · 01/04/2026 21:22

It's funny OP! Please stop worrying

Original poster

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 21:22

@mycatwearsahat it did sound like him at the time. It sounded like he'd just tried to alter his voice a bit. But now I'm even doubting that. Maybe it didn't sound like him after all. Aaaaarrrrggghhh!

OP posts:

Original poster

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 21:25

@LovesLabradors not considered CBT, maybe a thought. I mentioned my increased anxiety to my GP a while back, I think it's part of my ever-growing list of peri-meno symptoms. But it was glossed over quite quickly, unfortunately.

OP posts:

AndAllOurYesterdays · 01/04/2026 21:27

It was almost certainly your colleague. Act like you don't give a monkeys and he will confess.

mycatwearsahat · 01/04/2026 21:28

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 21:22

@mycatwearsahat it did sound like him at the time. It sounded like he'd just tried to alter his voice a bit. But now I'm even doubting that. Maybe it didn't sound like him after all. Aaaaarrrrggghhh!

I think it was him. He probably is waiting until April fool’s to officially be over before confessing. He probably doesn’t realise how this can affect some people with worry, I would be the same.

Trusttheawesome · 01/04/2026 21:31

Couldn’t you look to see the number they called from?

Original poster

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 21:36

@Trusttheawesome I did, it was a mobile number. Not his, as I've got that saved in my own phone.

OP posts:

Trusttheawesome · 01/04/2026 21:39

You could have put it into WhatsApp to see if it came up as any other colleagues?

I’d want to check because I’d be like you with it running through my head all day.

LonginesPrime · 01/04/2026 21:39

How often does a random customer call up and ask for a specific person in your team by name?

Did the caller explain why they asked for you specifically or suggest they knew you?

If it was genuinely just to ask for a part, why would they need to speak to you specifically? Surely anyone could order the part if it were a genuine request?

Can you check whether that part was subsequently ordered by a colleague? If the person genuinely wanted that part and it’s hard to get hold of, presumably they would have called back and tried again?

Unless they called back and the part was ordered, it’s probably safe to assume it was just a prank.

mycatwearsahat · 01/04/2026 21:40

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 21:36

@Trusttheawesome I did, it was a mobile number. Not his, as I've got that saved in my own phone.

Save the number as a contact, and then check if the person has a picture of themselves on WhatsApp. It may say their name too. If it’s a different name to your colleague, check if your colleague is friends with that person on social media.

FoolOfShips · 01/04/2026 21:42

If it had been a customer and they were going to complain, they'd most likely have done it by now - I'd have expected them to ring straight back and ask to speak to the manager.

If it was a customer, it sounds like they aren't doing anything. If I rang somewhere to order something and got that kind of response, I'd probably assume it was a wrong number - out of date on wherever I got it from.

moonshinepoursthroughmywindow · 01/04/2026 21:42

If it was your colleague, and if he was still claiming it wasn't him after 12 o'clock, then according to the traditional saying he's the fool and you're none.

pimplebum · 01/04/2026 21:42

Just order the part and ring “ customer’ back and let them know you have the part - i assume you did number redial etc to check who it was ?
if its a real customer you can apologise and explain you thought it was an April fools

i dont mean to sound rude but you are ordering spare parts not running the country or performing heart surgery so at worst its a slightly confused customer ( who may twig the date ) you would need to be a big cunt to complain- so therefore unlikely

your colleagues ( if guilty) IS a big cunt especially if he is aware you suffer from anxiety

moto748e · 01/04/2026 21:57

Tell your manager, if he/she is half-decent, they'll laugh it off. Gives some cover in the unlikely event it was a genuine customer. Although the asking for you by name bit implies it's surely a colleague?

Original poster

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 22:00

@LonginesPrime the person who put them through didn't ask what it was regarding or why they specifically wanted me. Sometimes existing customers ask for certain people by name, but usually only if it's an ongoing enquiry. No, the part hasn't subsequently been ordered by any other member of my team.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lucy304 · 01/04/2026 22:02

@Trusttheawesome@mycatwearsahat good suggestion re: WhatsApp! Unfortunately I'm off until Tuesday so I can't do it until then.

OP posts:

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