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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have asked woman in the supermarket to stop screaming near the baby

90 replies

bigcomfyduvet · 23/08/2015 12:09

I overloaded the trolley (one of those small ones) in Tesco this morning and a bottle of sparkling water fell out. The lady at the checkout (self service) did this stupid loud exaggerated scream and said 'oh make sure you don't open that first!' I just smiled and nodded but it was a bit embarrassing as everyone looked!

Then the same thing happened again and she did that stupid scream again so I said can you be quiet please, the baby is asleep.

Everyone was glaring at me but she was really annoying me.

Am I just sleep deprived and rude or did I have a point?

OP posts:
SueGeneris · 23/08/2015 12:14

I have a baby who seems to find it hard to stay asleep and is prone to cry in distress if started from sleep so I'm with you on this one.

I'm currently sitting on my bed trying to keep him asleep by shushing my 5 year old who is being noisy in our bathroom. I've been on shushing duty for about half an hour!

I expect we're both U in the grander scheme of daily life though!

Flossyfloof · 23/08/2015 12:14

She sounds a bit silly but do you expect, when you take your baby out in public, everyone to be aware and quiet?
I think you were rude.

coffeeisnectar · 23/08/2015 12:17

I think staff should not be screaming at all. Yanbu

GoldPlatedShitGibbon · 23/08/2015 12:18

DD was a horrible sleeper who would scream and scream if woken. I'd have macheted the supermarket woman to death with my Tesco Clubcard.

FarFromAnyRoad · 23/08/2015 12:18

I don't know - maybe you were borderline rude but it was provoked. FFS - I can't stand people of any age who feel the need to scream when they're not in actual distress! YANBU

MsTargaryen · 23/08/2015 12:18

You were rude.

Gruntfuttock · 23/08/2015 12:19

What on earth was the matter with the woman to even scream once, let alone twice? What ridiculous behaviour. That would have irritated the hell out of me too and I haven't even got a baby. How did she react when you asked her to be quiet because the baby was asleep?

YesIleftthebastard · 23/08/2015 12:19

Oh FFS

SurlyCue · 23/08/2015 12:20

Supermarket staff shouldnt approach me in general let alone scream in my direction.

YANBU.

Gruntfuttock · 23/08/2015 12:20

coffeeisnectar "I think staff should not be screaming at all. Yanbu"

Exactly. Of course they shouldn't.

JeanSeberg · 23/08/2015 12:20

Why does a bottle of water falling out of a trolley warrant a scream?

Original poster
bigcomfyduvet · 23/08/2015 12:20

She looked taken aback, and I did feel guilty but I was quite embarrassed as the bottle falling and her silly shrieking made everyone stare and I hated people staring at me anyway.

OP posts:
GarminGirl · 23/08/2015 12:23

Scream? You are probably exaggerating that bit for a start

Your baby sleeping doesn't mean the world should stop. You were rude

SalemSaberhagen · 23/08/2015 12:32

Surly, indeed. How dare people who work in supermarkets try and converse with you? Don't they know they are just there to serve you? What do they teach in Tesco training school now? Tut.

Original poster
bigcomfyduvet · 23/08/2015 12:33

Don't mind being spoken to but she was just so bloody noisy!

OP posts:
CuttedUpPear · 23/08/2015 12:33

I don't blame you.
It was the breaking point for me and XP when he walked into the house and started talking really loudly next to sleeping DS, age 9 months, for the umpteenth time.

We broke up because of his selfishness.

Witchend · 23/08/2015 12:35

I doubt extremely that she thought"oh a bottle is falling therefore I will scream".
It was an involuntary reaction.

Dh once complained that if I see a child slip from a precarious position (not necessarily my dc, can be in the distance) that I do a sharp intake of breath. I had to point out to him that it was never something I planned to do, totally involuntary reaction to seeing an accident.

Osolea · 23/08/2015 12:36

It doesn't really sound like what I woudo call a scream, more of a minor exaggerated shriek.

I can see why it would be a bit irritating, but it doesn't sound like there was any need to be unkind to her, she wasn't being rude or doing anything wrong and you can't expect everyone else in public to be as tuned into your sleeping baby as you are.

If you come across her again, maybe try keeping hold of your sparkling water.

Gruntfuttock · 23/08/2015 12:36

GarminGirl Not wanting a member of staff to scream, twice, next to your sleeping baby, is in no way equivalent to thinking "the world should stop" is it? The OP wasn't rude. She didn't shout or swear at the woman. She just asked her to be quiet because of the baby being asleep. It was absurd behaviour on the part of the member of staff and I have no doubt that the OP wasn't the only one annoyed by the screaming.

SurlyCue · 23/08/2015 12:37

Indeed salem a kindred spirit Wink

FYI if i need them to talk to me i'll approach them. In the meantime i'll continue wearing my scowl.

Original poster
bigcomfyduvet · 23/08/2015 12:37

Well you do realise I didn't drop it on purpose! It was perched on top of some other stuff and it fell off. Then I dropped it again by accident (obviously!) when paying. Both times 'EEEEEEE!' And a long lecture about not opening it immediately Hmm

OP posts:
chickenfuckingpox · 23/08/2015 12:40

thats ok i told the chuggers who nearly knocked my door down (when my sick toddler was just asleep) that if they did it again they could spend hours getting her back off to sleep

and yes i know i was unreasonable but i was pissed off

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 23/08/2015 12:41

Next time don't overload your trolley then. Or perhaps get a bigger trolley, and you're less likely to have things falling over the sides.

FWIW it's a supermarket, not church. Noise happens.

GarminGirl · 23/08/2015 12:42

Oh grunt shop workers are people too. They are allowed to make noises! Just because you work in a shop you don't have to behave like a robot

Also, perhaps it's an idea not to overload your trolley in the first place!

FayKorgasm · 23/08/2015 12:43

Perhaps it was involuntary what with being an unexpected noise. Some people are a bit more skittish.