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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I'm going to have to move aren't I?

186 replies

AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 17:36

Namechanged ....

I love where I live but do sometimes wish people would just fuck off and focus on their own lives.

This is a bit long but I need to rant.

Background - single mum of 4 children, all now flown the nest or at Uni

I work from home and wifi went down on Monday so I decamped to the nearest coffee shop in village to use their wifi. Spotted a few other neighbours there too with the same idea so looked like I wasn't the only one with shit wifi maybe?

Anyway, doing my thing and in comes a woman who I know to say hello to. A friend of a friend, not a close acquaintance at all and I know next to nothing about her. She's with another woman who I don't recognise at all.

They order lunch and then ask if they can join me. I should have explained that I was working (and there were plenty of other free tables) but instead said that it was fine so they sat down.

Friend of a Friend (FOF) starts asking me how I am and we exchange bit of polite conversation. She then starts asking me about my 4 children.

More than just a 'how's family' type question but a bit more searching and she seems to know more about them then she should given the fact we barely know each other.

Now for some more background:

About 18 months ago, a man stopped to chat to me on my dog walk. I know he lives a few streets from me but don't know his name or anything else about him but we often pass when out walking the dogs to say hello (as you do when you have dogs!). We've been passing each other in this way almost daily for the last 10 years at least.

On this particular occasion, he seemed more keen to chat than usual and asked me about one of my daughters in particular and asked how she was doing.

His comments made it clear that he knew which country she lived in at the time and which Uni she was at and a few other details that I can only assume he got from looking her up on her FB page.

It was bloody creepy (she was 20 at that time and he must be in his late 50's at a guess), so I ended the conversation and mentioned it to my daughter and she tightened up her social media accounts to top privacy level.

Anyway, it came about that FOF is distantly related to this man and so when she started asking me about the children in the cafe I was wary and deliberately vague.

She also seemed to know quite a bit about them though, they are all abroad at the moment in different countries either on gap years, or working or on an Erasmus programme so she started asking me questions about that, who was where and doing what. I'm still trying to be vague ...

She asked whether I missed them (of course I do)

Whether I resented them leaving me on my own in the UK (erm of course not, I am enormously proud)

Then she asked how I could afford to support 4 children and afford flights out to visit them etc and support them through Uni (massive assumptions being made here that it's me having to finance these things but essentially no one else bloody business)

So I gave a vague jokey reply about 'kids eh' and 'thank god for Easy Jet'

but this wasn't enough and they clearly wanted more info, FOF looked at me really expectantly as if to say 'well - how do you manage it'

So I'm feeling really on the spot at this point, I'm a really private person normally and now I'm cornered (quite literally in the corner of the cafe).

I didn't want to be rude so I decided to make what I thought would be a really obvious joke and hope that they'd get the hint that this conversation wasn't going anywhere .....

Me: you really want me to explain in detail how I afford to support my children?

FOF: yes, I'm amazed at how anyone can afford it (again, massive assumptions being made by her that it is me that necessarily covers all these costs)

Me: I'm a sex worker I'm not

FOF: Really??? Hmm

Me: yes it pays really well and it's really flexible although I was surprised that someone of my age and with my waistline would find the work

FriendofFOF : Are your clients anyone we would know?

Me: Well it's not the biggest village so yes I would imagine so.

I dont know why I continued contributing to the conversation as she clearly hasn't taken it to be a joke.

This all happened on Monday but she has now been telling everyone since that I am sex worker as the rumours have started and I can only assume that people actually fucking believe it.

I've been avoiding my usual dog walking route in order to avoid creepy neighbour.

I dont know what my AIBU is, I like living here, I feel settled here and it feels like home but I now clearly have to fucking move.

I'm a stupid, STUPID arse and shouldn't be allowed out in public - I don't know how to handle this as I am an awkward moo in social situations and I just know that any further attempts on my part will just end up making things 100 times worse.

Think of the love child of Miranda Hart and Mr Bean and you will just about be able to picture my level of social skill in public Confused

I just need to get this off my chest - apologies Sad

OP posts:
AbbieLexie · 11/04/2019 19:06

Flowers Gin Flowers Gin you are a Star Star Star .
very appropriate answers considering she asked such intrusive inappropriate questions - she has no boundaries.

Lookingforadvice123 · 11/04/2019 19:12

This is so funny!!! Brilliant OP!

Onescaredmuma · 11/04/2019 19:13

OP you are my hero I was having a shit day and you've made my night!! Grin

MothertotheLordsofmisrule · 11/04/2019 19:14

OP you are a flipping legend!!

As a PP said I vote for an innocent bewildered expression when someone brings it up and demands for the source of the slander.

StoneofDestiny · 11/04/2019 19:15

If she was the only one there I'd have denied saying it and made her look like a nasty piece of work.
As you had an audience, I'd just say to anyone who asked that I was being sarcastic and amusing when faced with impertinent and inappropriate probing questions.

AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 19:15

Thanks everyone, sorry - was just walking the dogs and no this is not a euphemism Grin

I shall try to hold my head high.

Tomorrow evening I am volunteering at the Cricket Club Bar for a charity 80's night - have probably outed myself now but loads of locals will be there so I'll soon find out whether word has spread about my imaginary sideline. ALSO a very lovely (and single) man who also lives in same village might be there - so I am feeling a mixture of trepidation and excitement.

Very lovely friend coming to keep me company so I'll have some moral support at least Smile

Wish me luck!

OP posts:
churchthecat · 11/04/2019 19:15

Fuck the lot of them. Boring village people love a bit of a scandal, I'm sure it'll pass!

In the meantime I'd be giving random men a wink in the post office Grin

ThanosSavedMe · 11/04/2019 19:17

Stupid woman. I think you handled her brilliantly though I know why you think you have to move!

Brilliantidiot · 11/04/2019 19:17

Oh OP that's brilliant! I wish I'd thought of that when I moved into the village I'm in and the 'single mum on benefits' got bandied about. Instead I tried to explain that I work nights and so yeah I was in bed all day....... Still not believed, I don't let the passive aggressive conversations get to me at the bus stop about people who can't be bothered to work and go galavanting all night getting tonnes of their tax payers money to fund their lifestyle......
Anyway don't move, brazen it out, in fact act up to it. I go to work in boring black uniform, I may follow a pp suggestion and start heading off in knee high boots and a mini skirt with my boobs hanging out. Well at least they couldn't say I'm not earning my own money....... 😜

S1naidSucks · 11/04/2019 19:18

Fuck the lot of them She’d be a very very popular protitute if she did that.

AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 19:20

Fuck the lot of them - She’d be a very very popular protitute if she did that

The village isn't that big ...... Wink

Also, sex worker if you don't mind. I think that sounds somehow better Grin

OP posts:
DowntonCrabby · 11/04/2019 19:22

I love you OP

SandAndSea · 11/04/2019 19:23

Oh yes! Definitely be a spy next! Then maybe a pilot. But, you must tell them 'in confidence'.

I can tend to channel a bit of Miranda too. There are worse things and anyway, they sound awful. Try not to worry about it.

churchthecat · 11/04/2019 19:24

I didn't even realise what I did there Grin

Not the lot of them. Maybe just the nice single man Wink

CanILeavenowplease · 11/04/2019 19:25

OP, I applaud you. I am a single parent of 3 and have been for 10 years. A new car on the driveway or a holiday always brings out the gossipmongers who really cannot help themselves. I even had one dreadful woman literally sniff on my doorstep and say ‘I suppose we’re paying for you to live here?’ She expected an answer and she got one, but not what she was expecting!!!!

Hold your head high. Make it clear to friends that you were trying to stop the dreadful woman poking her nose into your private business and it will die a death soon enough.

AnnieMay100 · 11/04/2019 19:25

LOL at your comeback.. amazing
I don’t mean to pry but are your children’s father/fathers involved as perhaps this man is digging for information for a reason? Not that it’s acceptable and I’d be freaked out by all the curiosity. If you see them again I’d make a sarky remark about how great her husband is in bed Grin laugh at the rumours and forget them it shows they have boring lives!

AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 19:28

Maybe just the nice single man

Actually me and Very Lovely Friend did discuss a potential game plan for tomorrow night if Nice Single Man turns up - like giving him extra head on his beer - but in light of recent discussions I think I need to behave myself Grin

Or maybe not ......

OP posts:
LordPickle · 11/04/2019 19:29

This is why I don't understand British people. I'm American and that would obviously be a joke. But if someone didn't "get it" I'd have said something along the lines of "I was clearly joking but you're being nosy as hell" and given them a 😐

More to the point, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, FUCK PEOPLE.

You aren't a sex worker and how you support your children is none of anyone's business.

Why should any of this stress you out? If it does, go speak to these people and set them straight. Why the angst and worry?

megrichardson · 11/04/2019 19:30

I am another admirer of yours, OP. Jeez I hate nosy, interfering busybodies and you managed to see her off with panache, nay, with verve! :)

AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 19:30

AnnieMay - children's father hasn't offered us any financial support for years. Father not father(s) Grin

OP posts:
Windygate · 11/04/2019 19:31

AtlasObscura you are my new hero. What chutzpah you have. Brazen it out and shame the nosy woman.

ShowMeTheKittens · 11/04/2019 19:31

Is this a smmmmaaaallll village?
OMG! what a load of nosey twats.
also- bwahahahaha
Just brass it out.

AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 19:34

LordPickle - the weird thing is, I am naturally quite bold and outspoken but this does tend to rub people up the wrong way as in the past I have struggled with boundaries and learning how to rein it in.

So lately, I seem to have been raining it in a bit more but now I think I have gone too far in opposite direction.

I am mid 40's and swear I am peri now and also a bit lonely - I don't know really - past me would not have worried about being rude or about what people think of me. Present me seems to get very tied up in knots though.

OP posts:
AtlasObscura · 11/04/2019 19:35

reining not raining

OP posts:
NWQM · 11/04/2019 19:37

@UniversalAunt - love it!

Have to say that at the cricket club it might be interesting who strikes up a conversation, who is steered away and who brazenly asks you.

Remain in awe at your quick thinking!