I talked talked throughout the minute's silence - so embarrassed

[greenapplesplatter]

I don't need any berating because I honestly feel like crap about it already!

I wanted into town with DD (4) today to see if we could get her haircut, we didn't have an appointment so I wasn't really aware of the time or what time we'd left the house at.

DD got her hair cut & I was zipping up her coat, she was chattering away asking if we could go to the park & I was answering her. Walked over to the door & asked 'how much do I owe you', hairdresser whispered the amount, thought it was strange but paid said thank you very much. Said to DD what do you say to X for your lovely haircut, she repeats (loudly) & hairdresser mouths you're welcome only then did I twig that the whole salon was silent. I sort of whisper oh god so sorry & bundled DD out of the door (she was still waffling on about her hair)

I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I've had a poppy on all week so I was aware but I just honestly wasn't thinking. I can't stop thinking about the whole thing & every time I do I cringe!!

I've been in the supermarket etc in the past when it's been observed but they've usually made an announcement before to say it's starting. I just wish someone had mentioned it prior to 11 (they shouldn't of had to - I appreciate that) or even motioned for us to shut up but when I think back it must of seemed like ages we were talking for.

Came home & donated an extra £25 to the British Legion online!!

[Tessliketrees]

Yep it cross posted. Your link still doesn't explain anything though.

[strugglingtodomybest]

I forgot it today. Oh well, not the end of the world. I did plenty of remembering when we visited Ypres in July for the centenary events. Don't feel bad op.

[Mugshotzforlunch]

We were in Tesco at the time this morning at the self serve. I stopped scanning and picked dd up as she was babbling so I tried to shush her. When OH asked really loudly what's up?, doesn't the scanner work? What are you waiting for? I whispered shh and he just carried on. Then the lady on the tannoy said thank you and everyone carried on as normal. I just called him a plonker and the penny finally dropped.

[MaisyPops]

If it makes you feel better I totally forgot it was the 11th today.

We did the silence at 11am yesterday at school with the students and I was thinking about tomorrows service.

Your post has just reminded me

[StrawberryMummy90]

Don’t worry OP it happened to me a few years back, I was in an open plan office (I was new as well!!) and someone did come over to our tables and say something but because it wasn’t directly to me I didn’t listen. Any way I had no idea it went silent and continued to tap away at my keyboard very loudly, I even asked my colleague next to me a question and after a few seconds she replied (when the minute was over) took me a while to realise what I had done but I was completely mortified and still am thinking about it!

What an awful first impression I made. I think my colleagues thought I deliberately ignored it as they all seemed to hear the heads up right before!

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

Having a period of silence is a common mark of respect and is not reserved only for armistice day or Remembrance Sunday.

I have been at rugby matches where there was a silence following the death of a club player, just this year our school had a minutes silence for those killed in the terrorist attack in Manchester.

[cunningartificer]

I was in a coffee shop and saw that they were planning to observe the silence, pointed it out to my husband, so we sipped our coffee and read books instead of chatting, but when the time came it wasn't signaled and after it started I started to say something to him before stopping and then having to shush my DH who started to ask me what I'd said. If you did the same in the middle of a ceremony it would be very different of course, but I don't think God or those whom we remember would be offended by genuine momentary forgetfulness in these circumstances.

[ClaryFray]

I lost track of time, although to be fair DP, DS and I were in the car chatting about visiting his parents, so it was only us. But we'll be observing it tomorrow, and DS did it at school yesterday too.

Don't worry op we all make mistakes.

[Glumglowworm]

OP the fact that you felt awful and came home and donated means you're not a terrible person

I work in a call centre, our fire alarm goes off to mark the start and end of the silence, we're encouraged to observe it if possible. If I'm not on a call then great. If I am then it depends on the call whether I will mention the silence or not. Partly because with some people I could easily spend the 2 minutes trying to explain what's going on, which defeats the point of asking to observe the silence.

I was home alone today so was silent but not reflecting. I'm going to a remembrance service at church tomorrow though, so will mark it then.

[photographyaddict]

I was at work trying to keep 20+ children quiet! Oh the joys! Honestly though they were brilliant! :)

[StressedtoHellandback]

A certain large company sent me a text during the silence. Black mark to them and if at all possible I will avoid being their customer

[VivaLeBeaver]

I did worse. In the gym using the assisted pull up machine so facing the wall. Music blasting on my iPod. Heard a tannoy but couldn't hear what was said and assumed it would be about shitty parking so ignored it. Finished my sets about a minute later and realised everyone in the gym was stood still with heads bowed. I'd been the only twat who kept going.

[CruCru]

Hmm. I had always thought the silence was on a Sunday, even if the 11th doesn't fall on the Sunday.

I agree with a PP about being uncomfortable with the silences. Partly because I tend to sit there thinking about having to be silent, rather than about people who've died. Also, a friend whose father was killed in the World Trade Centre attack completely hates all the silences that have been had for it - he finds them pointless and a way of companies / people making themselves look better.

[FlouncyDoves]

Nothing to be worried about. It’s not a manadatory thing anyway. I was swimming with my DD - no one was silent in the pool!

[VivaLeBeaver]

Yes, I also thought the silence was on the Sunday for some reason.

[EB123]

It was an error so don't worry. Sometimes our minds are elsewhere.

I used to work in a call centre and some customers were awful about the silence. We told them we would be observing and putting them on hold for the duration but some just didn't get it. My husband used to work in retail and they made an announcement beforhand but so many customers simply didn't bother to observe it.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Tess, I think we share the same view there. These silences make me feel very uncomfortable too. I (usually) observe this one but I'm certainly not an inveterate shush-er and I don't mind what other people do.

[CherryChasingDotMuncher]

If it helps I once had the hiccups through it. In the middle of an open plan office. I swear they echoed

[SilentlyScreamingAgain]

My wife got lots of dirty looks from a taxi driver for not observing the silence one year. Her father was one of the troops who liberated Dachau, her experience of sacrifice is a little more vivid that most.

She won't wear a poppy anymore and neither will a friend who's gramps died as a result of enemy action years after the war ended when a piece of shrapnel became dislodged in his body. Both are very uncomfortable about the amount of pressure put on others to 'remember'.

[LilQueenie]

don't worry about it op. I don't actually get the minutes silence at all. First year yes but every year? You only need to think of those who died in battle and lets be honest you don't need silence for that. They died and its tragic but a minutes silence isn't making a difference when war keeps going on.

[RoseWhiteTips]

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou

Having a period of silence is a common mark of respect and is not reserved only for armistice day or Remembrance Sunday.

I have been at rugby matches where there was a silence following the death of a club player, just this year our school had a minutes silence for those killed in the terrorist attack in Manchester.

No one is disputing that, are they? However, TODAY’S silence was to mark the end of WW1.

sigh

[bigoldbird]

The silence started shortly after the end of WW1. The guns fell silent at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For many years Armistice Day was on the 11th day of November regardless of what day of the week it was. The whole country fell silent, vehicles stopped in the street.


Moving on, it became Remembrance Day, held on the nearest Sunday to the 11th. When I was growing up (in the swinging sixties) that is all there was. The reintroduction of the two minutes silence on Armistice Day is fairly recent, I think probably in the last 20 years or so, though I am happy to be corrected. My family is quite involved with the military and my Dad fought in WW2 so I had all this drummed into me from an early age.

[MsHarry]

I did that a few years ago, was in the town centre with a friend and walked into M&S gabbing away only to find everyone still with bowed heads. took us both a few seconds to catch on and mutter apologies. it is confusing as I expect the silence to be on the Sunday. I'm sure they never used to publicly observe it years ago???

[Hoppinggreen]

I was in the supermarket this afternoon and 2 nice young American Mormons ( I know cos they had badges on) were manning the Poppy stall
DD wanted an enamel badge so I asked how much they were and he mumbled 32p in a strong southern USA accent. I thought it was an oddly specific amount but anyway, so I said " ok, here's 50p" feeling a bit generous. He looked at me a bit oddly but said thank you and I picked up the badge and walked out. We got in the car and as we were driving away DD asked why I had only given the man 50p when he asked for £2!!
Next time I pass a Poppy collector I need to give them at least £1.50

[MsHarry]

I do think shops should have a sign they can point to at cash desks.