To not know how to respond to friend and her ghostly tales

[lecce]

Just had an awkward conversation with a school mum - I don't know her well but her ds likes mine and she stayed and we chatted today as dc played upstairs.

To my horror, after asking whether I believed in ghosts and being told 'no', she embarked upon several stories of her encounters with 'ghosts'. Some are apparently the aunt[s] of her dh who haunt their house to protect him, which they do by playing with children's toys, switching appliances on and off and running taps. However, she has also apparently communicated with the spirit of Rachel Nickell, who chose her to tell her (Rachel's) fiancé that she (Rachel) was happy with his finding a new partner a few years ago. Of course, as my friend has no connection whatsoever with this family, she was unable to do so.

Frankly, I find all this stuff a crock of self-serving shit and was annoyed to be subjected to it after telling her I didn't believe in ghosts. I was so unsure how to respond and just mumbled a bit and tried to change the subject as soon as I could.

How do others respond?

I work with someone who comes out with stuff like this all the time. I can't be more specific as I might out myself but I generally do a smile/nod/change the subject combo.

I would respond by nodding and smiling, then changing the subject, unless it was a close friend when I would respond by suggesting they see a doctor probably

I don't see how it hurts to listen if she's your friend.
You've said you don't believe,you just need to acknowledge that she does,and say you find that interesting,although its not something you have experience of.
Its like talking to someone about their faith even if you don't hold that faith.

She sounds a bit of a nutjob and I would be wary of sending your DS over there in case she's telling him all this nonsense.

My daughter had a friend whose mother was like this and said she saw her dead parents in the house. Then was outraged when my daughter didn't want to go there for a sleepover.

Ha, x post with babe ruthless

I have a friend like this, I spent an entire evening convincing her I had felt a presence in the cellar, like a sudden coldness and that i had been reading up on the history of the building and that there were rumours about a horrific murder having happened down there, after several hours she agreed to go down to talk to the spirit for me, so we sat in the cellar by candle light and she asked the cold who it was, the glass moved and slowly spelled out I AM A BEER CELLAR. I AM MEANT TO BE COLD. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GHOSTS.

So now every time she starts a woo story I interrupt with 'were you in a cellar?'

Alternatively just say 'I don't believe in ghosts, could we talk about something else'

YANBU. I have a friend who's 3yo daughter wouldn't sleep alone in her bedroom - they'd got into the habit of sharing a spare bed in there with her since she was a baby.

But rather than think that had anything to do with it, they called in a spiritualist healer who informed them that the house was haunted by the spirit of a relative.

I just let them get on with it, but had visions of a little lady scuttling around the house calling 'Carole Anne?'

People talk about what interests them. Why did that annoy you? :)

I'd just laugh really. Just that.