To not of moved

[Pretenditsaplan]

I get half an hour for lunch. During that time I like to sit on a bench near to my work and read. During that time I'll smoke 2 cigarettes one when I first get there and one just before I go back in. Today I'm just lit my second cigarette and just getting to a good bit in my book.

A lady with a screaming kid in a pushchair sits on the bench next to me. Not on one of the equally pleasant but slightly further away from the fag smoke benches but on a bench so close if there hadn't of been arm rest between us we'd of be touching. I thought it was a little weird but she was probably just harassed dealing with little ones temper tantrum.

She calms the girl down and starts feeding her some lunch. I get on with my book. She does that little cough thingy to get my attention. I glance up and she's pulling her face like shes stepped in dog shit but says nothing so I ignore her. She steps up the fake coughing and when I don't look up this time leans over and says pointedly "that's going in my face"

I'm a little non plussed because there's 8 benches around a small town square and I'm the only one smoking. Behind is a flower bed thing were another lady is perched also smoking. There's 3 other sides all smoke free. I mumbled an apology and tried to hurry my fag.

At this point she's raises her voice and says "I think it's disgusting your smoking next to a child that's eating." By now I'm getting annoyed. She chose to sit there and if she hadn't noticed me to begin with she could of easily moved before starting to pass her child wotsits. I point out very calmly I was smoking when she sat down. She tells me I should of moved as soon as she did and she shouldn't have to put up with it.

At this point I'm almost finished and about to go back to work when she goes on a tirade that I shouldn't be smoking anyway that I was too young and it was illegal in public places. I finish my fag and tell her not only am I 30 and can smoke if I damn well please it's illegal to smoke in enclosed public places but outside it's perfectly legal. (At which point I hear a laugh from the woman behind me.) Angry lady gathers her things and storms off and sits on the benches opposite glaring at me. By this time my breaks finishing and and saunter past her with a big smile and a wave.

What annoyed me was the assumption even though I'd been sitting there well before she got there I should move as she's so much more important. But I've been having a bad day so maybe I should of bowed down to her mightiness and and just moved. Wibu to not just move as soon as she sat down?

[Pretenditsaplan]

It's not letting me post my corrections... one a half year old

[PresidentOliviaMumsnet]

@ThenLaterWhenItGotDark

Just out of curiosity- in a shop say, or at work, if you hear another adult making a grammar mistake- let's say someone says 'They was watching the film.....' would you correct them? To their face?

A reminder here that we ask people to use the same courtesies on MN as they would in a RL conversation

[Pseudonym99]

How will you consequence me on the Internet? Lol. It is only the Internet!

[Pseudonym99]

I correct people in real life when they use 'of' when they should of used 'have'! Lol

[WorraLiberty]

< Sigh >

I read the thread title and wondered how long it would take someone to patronisingly correct the OP's grammar.

4 posts in?

I'm not sure if that's an improvement or not.

[Pseudonym99]

OF OF OF OF

[ItShouldHaveBeenJess]

I'd much rather sit next to a smoker than a Wotsit muncher. Those stinky, orange puffs of polystyrene are a crime against humanity.

[Pseudonym99]

I only read the title. That was enough to prevent me from reading the post

[Doggity]

Like fuck did people do it to "help". People couldn't wait to stick their oar in and numerous posters repeated it. Why?!

OP, you showed dignity in not rising to the bait. You made a genuine mistake where some people on here enjoy being snarky. I know who I'd rather sit on a bench with. :)

[JeSuisUnChocoholic]

She chose to sit there so YANBU.
Smoke from cigarettes does make me struggle to breathe though and is very dangerous for young children.

[WetsTheFinger]

The smoker is always unreasonable in my opinion. They ruin every lovely outdoor space.

[ItShouldHaveBeenJess]

usual. Excellent point. I'll fire off an email in the morning. Even DS won't touch them and he's been known to eat my toe jam.

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

If I read an article online or even a blog I expect it to be well written but an internet CHAT forum?! Get a grip. I might start jist typin as a talk in real life eh? Aw the time aye? Just tae git oan thur goats.

[user1471439240]

Smokers attract a particular type of social justice warrior, ignore, let them ring 101 "to log it" or something.

[trafalgargal]

Oh the hand wave ......it does so annoy them when you wave back and ask everyone else to wave at the nice lady too

[ArmySal]

YANBU, OP.
Can't believe someone swung in, on a 90+ thread, to point out the grammatical error without realising plenty of smart arses were chomping at the bit to get it in first.

Well actually I'm not surprised. Also not shocked some missed ItShouldHaveBeenJess's obvious joke.

[HeCantBeSerious]

If I read an article online or even a blog I expect it to be well written but an internet CHAT forum?!

I don't understand the difference. I could no sooner type of instead of have than I could put my bra on backwards. Surely you have to unlearn the correct in order to use the incorrect?

The OP consistently used the wrong word. It wasn't a typo. Not a missed autocorrect. Completely wrong word.

Now, I must go to lemon. I have to be up ostrich in the morning to sell tea and onions for chislehurst.

[WorraLiberty]

Sad innit, Worra.

Yep but possibly the only way they can feel a small rise in self esteem for a moment.

ItShouldHaveBeenJess, please change your name to ItShouldOfBeenJess

G'wan, you know you wanna want to.

[BennyTheBall]

I rant to my children, when I see 'would OF....' on FB, where it seems to be suddenly endemic.

'You wouldn't say 'I of a headache!' etc etc'.

I'm frightened it will catch on, y'see and no-one will be able to string a sentence together

But you wouldn't catch me correcting someone on MN, noooo

[ArmySal]

What a ridiculous analogy, a bra backwards would feel wrong, some people pronounce should've as should of.

[HeCantBeSerious]

Pronounce, absolutely. How do they manage to write it down completely wrongly?

[HeCantBeSerious]

(Can't bear it being said, either. I have to keep my nails short just in case I hear it - it makes me turn savage.)

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

Benny Oh you can do it on MN if you want, it will make you look ever so smart and helpful
And add another pearl to the old string
Another buckle to the sensible shoe. Some sort of scone to the basket etc. stop me someone