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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think ‘Resting Can I Help You? Face’ is a real thing?

139 replies

Bebepoor · 15/03/2018 15:49

And does not receive the attention it deserves.

Honestly. Strangers ask for directions and tell me about their health problems. Acquaintances pour out their hearts to me. Friends tell me things I really wish I didn’t know. People moan about Resting Bitch Face but my affliction is much greater. Any other sufferers?

OP posts:
LeighaJ · 15/03/2018 19:44

Try working on having a "naturally" unfriendly aura to put out into the world. I've perfected one I use when I'm in areas that make me uncomfortable to walk alone.

Better to look unfriendly then worried imo.

PuntasticUsername · 15/03/2018 19:44

There was someone at work who had this problem. She said her mum told her it was because she had a toilet face...ie would always get asked where the nearest public convenience was.

I still see this person around at work occasionally and every single time I do, I think "toilet face" and I start giggling.

kelper · 15/03/2018 19:52

I get collared in supermarkets to help people with the self scanner thing, or to reach stuff (Quite tall)
If I have DS with me god help us, as he talks to everyone and the weird thing is everyone talks back to him!! He's not little either, nearly a teenager! He must have a good face for talking to ;)

OhMyGodTheyKilledKenny · 15/03/2018 19:53

This is me too!!

The strangest thing I've ever been asked by a complete stranger in a car park was to park their car! Confused

You can guarantee that whenever we're on holiday as a family I always get asked directions, particularly when we're abroad (and I'm seriously crap at languages). Sometimes asked by natives of that country, sometimes by Brits who attempt a broken English/other language mix presuming I'm local. Why?

Faintlinesquints · 15/03/2018 19:54

Toilet face Grin that's definitely my new auntie face!!

ChristmasFluff · 15/03/2018 20:16

I have Resting I-Work-Here Face. I always get asked where things are in shops - a woman in a petrol station got really huffy with me for not knowing where the newspapers were. When visiting my dad during his prolonged hospital stay, I lost count of the times people would walk past nurses/doctors in corridors and ask me the way to places. Was stood in a cafe in my jogging gear waiting for my drink, and a bloke came in and started giving me his order. Using the coffee machine in Kwik-Fit and a man started asking me about his exhaust. Funniest was when I was reading to my son in the library, and a woman hurriedly sat her kid down next to him and bustled off to get her books - turns out she thought I was a librarian doing storytime :-D

TheRebel · 15/03/2018 20:37

I definitely have a “don’t mess with me” face so I never get asked for directions, except once a couple of months ago I was walking through town when a big Land Rover with blacked out windows pulled up next to me with two men in suits inside, they looked like gangster estate agents Grin and one asked me where a dry cleaners was. I told him I didn’t know and the other one screamed in a frustrated voice at me “well google says it’s here!!!” I just stood there staring at him, I think he was expecting me to pull a dry cleaners out of thin air Hmm

BertieBotts · 15/03/2018 20:39

Hahaha, yes, me! It probably comes from years in Retail TBH.

I get asked for directions/train times all the time even though I live in Germany. It's done wonders for my German although sometimes the person hears my accent, mutters something unintelligible and wanders off again Confused

HaroldsSoCalledBluetits · 15/03/2018 20:49

I too have found my people. It was my mum who first remarked on this about me when we were out one day - she was taken aback at how many people talked to me. As I got older, friends noticed it too and (rather cruelly I think) named me "the nutter magnet". Now I get questions from my kids like "Why is that lady talking to you?" but honestly this is just my normal. I've been asked for directions in every place I've been to I think, even when it's blindingly obvious (due to skin colour/dress) that I'm not a national and have heard more outpourings on trains and buses and shops than I could ever recall again. A very dear old friend once said that people recognise a "fellow traveller" and maybe that's true. I don't mind it as such when I think about it with hindsight - I've had insights into lots of people's lives and learnt a lot along the way. But there have been times while it's happening where I've longed to just be left alone.

Buglife · 15/03/2018 20:54

I have this. When I look at people I think I automatically put on a kind of pleasant expression and interested look. It’s because I’ve worked in a face to face service for years and years and also with children so I think I’ve trained myself to look blandly pleasant at all times. If I catch someone looking at me I automatically smile. I’m quite helpful in general though and can make small talk with strangers easily, I’m was raised near Newcastle and Geordies are very friendly, will chat to strangers in shops for ages etc.

ScreamingValenta · 15/03/2018 20:55

@ChristmasFluff Resting I-work-here face is the funniest thing I've heard all week!

paddypants13 · 15/03/2018 20:56

Yes! I suffer from this. I have large brown eyes, a baby face and curly hair. I just look kind. I generally am but I don't want to hear your life story at the cash point!

Faintlinesquints · 15/03/2018 21:07

@paddy my dd, mum and myself all have huge brown puppy eyes (and baby faces) too, I wonder if subconsciously people see these as 'trusting' features.

Mookatron · 15/03/2018 21:11

This is me! I thought it was because I worked in international student services for years.

paddypants13 · 15/03/2018 21:15

@Faintlinesquints - My mum's side of the family share all those traits too and we always get approached. My auntie calls our eyes cow eyes!

Dd has escaped the curse!

Faintlinesquints · 15/03/2018 21:20

Cow eyes is rather cute! I say dds are like giraffes Grin

Mammalamb · 15/03/2018 21:20

I got this all the time until I had my son. For some reason it just stopped. Actually, it stopped because I’m constantly in a rush and blank chuggers

Nevercallmehun · 15/03/2018 21:22

Thank goodness I've got a resting 'dont even think about it' face.😠

Tartanwallpaper · 15/03/2018 21:22

I have a "tell me your problems" face.... Which can be rather interesting because im very nosy! If people knew I was nosier than I look I don't think they'd divulge !!

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 15/03/2018 21:25

DF gets random people telling him about their sex lives. Easter Hmm

ScreamingValenta · 15/03/2018 21:26

I don't fit the puppy eyed model - I've got blue eyes of average size, and my face isn't the baby face type. I'm definitely blaming the specs!

ranoutofquinoa · 15/03/2018 21:29

The things I know! I get this all the time from friends to work colleagues to the person serving me at the supermarket checkout! I've now decided it's a good thing, maybe we're that one person they speak to all day and it's a privilege.

Skippetydoodah · 15/03/2018 21:32

I have this! We were at a pub the other day and first of all someone made a beeline for me wanting to know where the toilets were, then a few minutes later someone came and asked me for a menu. I have no idea why.

user1andonly · 15/03/2018 21:32

I don't think I have this, or perhaps a very mild form.

I do have an "I'm sure I know you from somewhere" resting face Grin

Faintlinesquints · 15/03/2018 21:35

'I'm sure I know you from somewhere face' or as known up this neck of the woods 'a weel-kent face' Grin