To not be at all insulted and actually find the whole thing funny?

[TiredBefuddledRose]

This morning I went to a cafe for a coffee with a woman I know from the ptfa (let's call her Betty), she's a total gossip and is one of those people who spends her whole life falling out with people and always needs to find fault in everything anyone does or sais, I honestly don't think I've ever heard her say a nice word about anyone but she is on the school ptfa and I am the chair so I have to pretend to be nice.
Anyway, we're in there having a coffee and her latest person she'd fallen out with (lets call her Josie) comes in with a friend and starts to tell me everything Betty has been saying about me, it was really awful stuff.

Aibu to find the whole thing kind of funny and to actually admire Josie for having the balls to say it?!!
I'm under no illusions as to what Betty is really like and only give her the time of day because our ptfa struggles for numbers and we need her.

I don't really like gossipy bitchy women and often wonder if they realise that when you stand around in a group bitching about everyone else then as soon as you're not there the knife will be in your back?

Oh wait...Josie told you really awful things that Betty had been saying about you, while Betty was sitting right there?

Wtf??

What did Betty say/do during this?

Are you seriously so desperate that you need either Betty or Josie on the PTFA? As pointed out, it must simply make the whole thing so inefficient if they are spending their time bitching. I think in your shoes I'd suggest both of them walk if they have so much difficulty dealing with you or using normal good manners.

Yeah, clarification required! Josie told you what Betty had been saying while Betty was there listening to every word? Wow! You've got to admire that!

Yes, the whole thing is ridiculous and you are acting very mature to rise above it all and find it amusing. You are not the same person you were a year ago - one would hope that could be said of everyone, tbh, as just time passing can move you on - but it's clearly a positive change for you!

I would imagine you would have more members in your ptfa if Josie and Betty weren't there!

Josie is a shit fucking stirring twat too though, I mean why?

ffs, i'd remind the two of them they're on the PFTA, not little girls in the playground.

Then i'd have told the two of them to grow up, and then taken my drink and cake and moved away from the pair of them!

Sorry to clarify, yes Betty was sitting right there.
Only Betty is in the ptfa, Josie isn't.

I do reign in bitchiness in meetings but this wasn't a meeting, I only mentioned the ptfa for context as to why I was having a coffee with Betty to begin with when I know what a cow she is.
Betty is one of the few ptfa members who actually do stuff which is why I play nice and ignore her nasty behaviour.
The ptfa struggles for members, let's just say the school is one which has low levels of parental involvement in anything.
Betty whilst not being a very pleasant human being does actually turn up to meetings and will go into school to photocopy and give out letters, round up raffle donations etc

What I meant when I said I kind of admired Josie is when I've sat there listening to various groups of women bitching about whoever isn't there I've often thought how 'funny' it would be if someone told everyone what everyone else what they'd said about them, not to the extent I'd ever do that just that it'd be interesting to see the fall out.

And thank you for the comments about Josie, I hadn't really thought of it like that.

I'd read the first post and couldn't work out what had happened! So Josie said- 'ooh I'm surprised to see you here with Tired Betty I thought you'd had enough of her at ptfa meetings!' Did she do lots of tinkly laughs?

Lol I actually did my very best to include everything in the first post because people who drip feed info in threads annoy me, guess I should have had more than one coffee!

Derailing, but I'm totally reading 'PTFA' as an acronym for 'Parent Teacher Fucking Association'.

Ours doesn't have an F in it, I used to add an I to make it PITA (pain in the arse) for my own amusement.

Carry on folks.

This sounds fairly typical behaviour from PTA members in my experience. Avoid.

I think PTA = 'Parents to Avoid.' TiredBefuddledRose excepted of course!

So...give us some examples of what Josie actually said? And what Betty said or did in reaction?

Finding it hard to get my head around, tbh!

Ohhh yes, some Josie examples please

I work with a Betty, they are draining. She is negative and angry about everything. I'm no Pollyanna, but I think it's easier to spend time trying to be positive than actively looking for the worst in people or situations. I told her that she had a bad case of shadenfreude the other day. What pisses me off about this is person is that myself and another colleague gave her a big chance and she is so resentful about others getting the same opportunity.

I am glad that you have learnt to rise above this nonsense.

Wouldn't bother me on the slightest. Bitching is a reflection of the bitch, not the bitched about.