Crazy Woman at school

[BaudelaireGal]

Hi all! NC for this. Got myself in a bit of a pickle. No fault of my own, though..

Right, so I moved to a different town not long ago. Completely new place, don't know anybody here. First day out and about, getting to know everything, lovely day, great mood and all that. I needed to find a particular place and stupidly forgot my phone at home. Saw a man standing and having a cigarette.

Come up, say hi, explain I'm new here, ask him where could I find such and such. He explains, shows me the direction, asks how do I like my new town. We were talking for 2 mins or so.

A woman storms out of a bakery nearby and angrily heads to the man I'm talking to. Grabs his arm and greets me with a frosty/annoyed expression. I smile, say hi, explain I'm new, etc.. Not saying a word she turns around and heads back to said bakery half-dragging her husband (presumably) with her. Um.. Not weird at all, I think and then continue with my day.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, I'm going to pick up my DD from school. And there they are, coming towards me, the Crazy Woman, her hubby and their kids. To be honest, I didn't want to speak to any of them and would have gladly avoided them all. Alas, wasn't meant to be. Hubby smiled and stopped to talk to me, the Crazy Woman stormed off with kids. Again, 1 min talk, 'hi', 'how are you settling', 'bye'. That's it.

Now some time passed after this and I noticed some other mums giving me a side eye. It was fine before, up to the point I met the Crazy Woman in the school yard. Ok, maybe I'm paranoid, I hope I am. But it doesn't feel like it..

I don't know her. I don't know her husband. I saw him those two times only and I don't feel any desire to see him again. I don't even know his name, FFS! I guess what I'm asking is...

What do I do now?

1. Talk to the Crazy Woman (nooooo..)
2. Make and wear an 'I don't sleep with Crazy Woman's husband' poster on a school run
3. Talk to the husband (maybe? Prefer not to, though)
4. Do nothing.

I don't usually care what other people say or think of me. It's this injustice that gets to me. I absolutely don't know that man, not at all, and now some other women think I'm having an affair with other woman's husband? If he would be single, and they'd think I'm shagging him - I wouldn't care, think what you like, whatever. But he has a family and it's just not on.

Also, what if the Crazy Woman is friends with my DD's teacher???

Definitely ignore. If she is behaving this way when her husband is talking to you, then she will behave this way when he talks to other women too, so they will be aware of what she is like. It will blow over because there is nothing going on and that will quickly become apparent.

5. Find the friendliest of the local people you do speak to and say “this is awkward but ever since I asked Husband for directions, I’ve got a sense CM is angry with me. Is it possible she thinks I was flirting with him? I only asked where the post office was!”

Nooo - the chances are the friendliest people will have no idea what you're on about and think you're a stirring weirdo.

Your best bet is to act as you normally would, oblivious to it, be nice to people and let it go over your head. Op doesn't even know for sure what or if anything has been said - and if it has, it's bonkers anyway - bringing it up adds fuel only.

Not your circus, not your monkeys.

LolaSmiles
I feel for the OP if she's on the receiving end of odd looks etc from lots of people, presumably after crazy woman has been gossiping.
..........
Exactly how I felt when I first read the op, Baudelaire.

I reiterate that you have done absolutely nothing wrong and the man from whom you asked directions also did nothing wrong: his wife did! For goodness sakes, how would she behave if he worked every day with women on the same level?

Don't worry about other parents at the school gates, those who gossip are not worth worrying about. Anyone who is at least reasonable will realise you did nothing suspicious. PLEASE take no notice!

I sincerely hope you don't let these stupid people worry you for any length of time,

5 Move to another village

1. Have an affair with him