She did it purpose, surely?

[BastardBiscuits]

Went for lunch with a friend and she kindly offered me a lift home. In the car I told her I was expecting an important phone call from my granddaughters social worker and was she ok with me taking it in the car. She laughed and said it was fine and that I didn’t need to ask.

Surely enough SW rang and I answered. A few minutes into the conversation friend let out an almighty obnoxious belch. I swear I felt the car rumble. SW literally stopped talking mid sentence and then, after a few seconds of awkward silence she tried to carry on where she left off saying “ummm ... I’ve lost my train of thought, where was I?”

I was mortified. I don’t believe this was an accident so why would she do that? Or am I over thinking it?

I just hope SW didn’t think it was me.

I can tell the difference between someone I am speaking to on the phone doing something and talking to someone and then another person in the background doing something

If there is a social worker involved i am sure there are more serious issues than a belch going on

I don’t think she did it on purpose per se. But I don’t know why she didn’t hold it in or change it into a discrete noise, who on earth belches loudly in front of other people.

I would be really mad if someone did this.

I don't believe that loud belches are inevitable, I go to a lot of meetings, speak in public, I can't think of a time when I've audibly belched and I've never heard anyone doing it either, or fart loudly,

We all manage not to do these things in staff meetings, on nights out, in public view, people who do this loudly are usually the type of people who do this at home for fun. My husband used to fart loudly to annoy me on purpose, he had a rather limited repertoire of jokes, I'm pretty sure he didn't do that at work.

This can't be serious, all you all prone to drama llama-ness?

Even if the noise was so loud that the SW lost her train of thought the normal thing to say would be, sorry there's a bit of background noise and carry on

What a load of angst about nothing, are you short of things to worry about

Seriously? Is this a serious thing?
You're overreacting! It was a burp, a completely natural function for bodies. Get over yourself. You clearly aren't a very good friend if you're first assumption was she did it on purpose.

Haha @Pebblexox we were obviously typing the same thing at the same time, I can't believe anyone acts like this

@Pebblexox

Seriously? Is this a serious thing? You're overreacting! It was a burp, a completely natural function for bodies. Get over yourself. You clearly aren't a very good friend if you're first assumption was she did it on purpose.

There is a involuntary burp and then there is a long drawn out belch - my brother does it and it’s disgusting and immature.

The OP was on a very important phone call discussing her grand daughters welfare. She needs to be able to talk about serious issues with out some one doing a comedy belch during it.

It’s immature and disrespectful

I’m more concerned about people here saying that the SW was unprofessional by being distracted by a loud belch you normally wouldn’t expect on a call.

I think OP, as embarrassing as it is, you feel bad because the SW might have thought it was you. Just explain the next time you talk to her that it wasn’t you, not because it is necessary (she is likely not to remember), but because it would help you feel better and forget about it.

If you think your friend did it in purpose, she might have done it, you don’t need a bunch of strangers in Internet to convince you what you hear was “natural”, out of her control or whatever, you know your friend, you know what kind of idiot she can be, and you know now to have her present when you have important conversations.

Sw has a very difficult job and a belch is not something they would be remotely interested in. I'm actually in shock that you would even post this . If you are getting calls from a SW about your granddaughter then you have much bigger things to worry about also tbh.

Like a previous poster wrote, I’d be worried the sw thought it was you burping on purpose as a sign of disrespect. Especially as you didn’t apologise or explain.

@IseeIsee

Sw has a very difficult job and a belch is not something they would be remotely interested in. I'm actually in shock that you would even post this . If you are getting calls from a SW about your granddaughter then you have much bigger things to worry about also tbh.

Gosh your in shock? Quick get a cup of hot sweet tea for your nerves ..

Erm...I sometimes think I must live in a parallel universe to other people. She burped. No one died.

So you and your friend went to lunch, your friend drove and then you took a confidential phone call in the car where your friend as the driver had to sit and listen, and you think she’s in the wrong for burping ?

Have a word with yourself.

If it helps, DP let out a huge fart while I was on a work call. I was livid.

Erm...I sometimes think I must live in a parallel universe to other people. She burped. No one died

I think you missed the point where op said she was taking an important call from the SW about her granddaughter, I assume about the care and wellbeing of a child. Perhaps you haven't fully understood the gravity of the conversation?

@OwlBeThere

Erm...I sometimes think I must live in a parallel universe to other people. She burped. No one died.

Very true. However I understand that the op was embarrassed.

I used to have a colleague with whom I shared an office for a while who would do long noisy yawns, like some old men do. Often while I was on the 'phone the person at the other end would say, "Somebody's very tired". She could also be heard yawning through the walls into the next office! I found that embarrassing but, as you say, nobody died.

The social worker to whom the op was speaking may have thought it was a noise from another car engine or exhaust passing by.

@WellThisIsShit

Like a previous poster wrote, I’d be worried the sw thought it was you burping on purpose as a sign of disrespect. Especially as you didn’t apologise or explain.

Yes I’d worry that they thought you wasn’t taking it seriously. I’d be so annoyed with this

@OwlBeThere

Erm...I sometimes think I must live in a parallel universe to other people. She burped. No one died.

So you’d feel the same if you were having a job interview or interviewing some and they did a long drawn out belch? Would you really?

I don’t think people understand the importance and anxiety when one of your children are in the care of SS. Because I’m sure non of you would be doing long protracted belches down the phone when taking about your child’s future.

I think you missed the point where op said she was taking an important call from the SW about her granddaughter, I assume about the care and wellbeing of a child. Perhaps you haven't fully understood the gravity of the conversation?

If the conversation was going to be that serious then she shouldn’t have taken the call in the car, putting her friend in a very awkward position, and potentially breaching confidentiality, it’s the OP who is the wrong here not the friend.

@Friendsoftheearth, no I can read perfectly well. Nowhere does it say this conversation was super important, or that the child is in danger of anything, people have social workers for a myriad of reasons.
But even if it were massively important, it’s still just a burp. If the friend had sneezed would everyone be carrying on like this? No. People are weird as fuck about burps/farts. As someone with IBD the ridiculous reaction to a normal bodily function makes me annoyed. Many of us can’t help it.

If the conversation was going to be that serious then she shouldn’t have taken the call in the car, putting her friend in a very awkward position, and potentially breaching confidentiality, it’s the OP who is the wrong here not the friend

I was waiting for someone to come along and say that. How about the ‘friend’ just not be a immature dickhead?

Also breaching what confidentiality? There are no confidentiality agreements to sign when dealing with SS and I’m sure she didn’t have her On speaker phone.

is she always so bad mannered?

I was waiting for someone to come along and say that. How about the ‘friend’ just not be a immature dickhead?

Also breaching what confidentiality? There are no confidentiality agreements to sign when dealing with SS and I’m sure she didn’t have her On speaker phone

If it was that important and serious that having some who was driving you burp during the phone call is going to be a massive drama then don’t take the call until you are alone .

Stop expecting the whole world to stop for you.

@Usergroundzero, well if someone accidentally burped when I was interviewing them I’d just move on. Again, no different to a sneeze, or a cough. As someone with IBD it’s happened to me, I just explain, apologise and move on. It’s only z big deal if you make it so.
I realise OP might be anxious about her GD, id say that anxiety might be fuelling this over reaction tbh.

@CatsFantastic.The op explained that she was expecting the phone call and asked her friend if she was ok with that. Presumably anyone with half a brain cell would understand it was a serious phone call and be respectful of that.
Also, wondering if the people telling the op to lighten up, its only a burp etc.. would let out large belches, farts in work meetings and in other professional settings and just quickly dismiss it as 'oh it just a burp' , if you do then I'm glad I don't work with you.