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AIBU?

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Original poster

Prank to far?

151 replies

Rainbowbagel · 28/10/2020 11:36

I have been the victim of a practical joke at work and it has really hit me hard.

A famous person that I really admired came into work the other day and I served them, I loved this person when I was younger more than I do now and although admittedly with all the headgear and mask I didn’t recognise them at first once they’d left and I’d realised who I served I because overwhelmed with excitement and nostalgia.

Two of my colleagues popped out soon after and came back in 10 minutes later presenting me with a box, it had a cake inside and my name and said celebrities signature on the front. They told me they’d bumped into this celeb and explained what happened and then the celeb had got me a cake and signed the box. (You can see where this is going)

I asked them repeatedly if it was a joke to which they swore adamantly it wasn’t, I proceeded to put it on social media and called those close to me in excitement all whilst asking them if it was a wind up!

A whole week later I am doing a job at work and I notice the same to sniggering in the corner, I asked what they were laughing at and they said not to worry followed by whispering, they carried on giggling and I felt a little left out so asked again, I then started to get the impression I was the joke, I asked if I had something on my face, if I’d said something to upset them or something silly. The laughing worsened and I started to panic and after about ten minutes of me practically begging to be let in on this joke they revealed that the celeb thing had all been a prank. I buried my head, informed them that I was extremely embarrassed and ran to the toiled where I burst into tears.

I have had an extremely tough few weeks (haven't we all!) I lost my job earlier in the year due to Covid and luckily managed to get this to help with bills and keep me afloat. I am struggling financially and I’m so lonely and this has just really got to me.

I counted these people as friends and I just feel so betrayed, the original prank was/is funny but to let me call/ tell people, to tag the celebrity to thank them Blush to be laughing behind my back for a whole week!

I am to embarrassed to speak with anyone about it and get a big emotional when I do so just wanted some (friendly) advice really

Being unreasonable - I am being overly sensitive

Not unreasonable- too far, almost bullying

I think I’ve just been having it so tough recently and this really got me through and now the realisation that it was all a joke at my expense hurts a little deeper.

Brb, just taking the signed fake box down from my wall Blush

OP posts:
Googon · 29/10/2020 13:06

Best thing to do would be to look at them in disgust and say "yeah, cheers" in a sarcastic way, as though you'd found them pulling the legs off a spider. Don't be even slightly embarrassed or defensive, you've done nothing wrong at all. It's just a shame you work with such a bunch of twats.

thevassal · 29/10/2020 14:07

Really sorry this happened to you OP. There is nothing worse than that horrible embarrassed feeling. I read something on here a few years ago about the worst jokes people had played on someone, and in one a boss had bought staff fake scratchcards. One of the lowest paid workers (I think cafeteria staff or cleaner or something) "won" £10,000 and crying with happiness because she'd had a crap year and was worried about money, then the boss revealed it was all fake. The way the poster described it was absolutely horrific, I felt so sorry for the poor woman, even 3rd hand. Some people are just absolute dicks.

Agree with everyone else that the fact they did it at all and then kept it going for a whole week says much more about how pathetic they are than anything about you!

Also, well done for finding another job so quickly after losing yours. Really not easy in the current circumstances so you must interview/present really well!

keepgoingorstop · 29/10/2020 14:12

@thevassal that's horrible about the scratch card!

ravenmum · 29/10/2020 14:36

That reminds me of the scene in The Office where they tell the secretary she's fired as a prank - a scene designed to show what dicks they are.

ursuslemonade · 29/10/2020 14:45

keepgoingorstop yeah I remember that, that was a shitty thing to do.
Also there was a poster a couple of years back who had been locked in a tiny storage area at work as a 'prank' by her male colleagues. They knew she was claustrophobic and had a panic attack... God some people are just cunts.
I am sorry this happened to you, please remember the fault lies with them. Just how sad are they??

sooqpuas · 29/10/2020 14:53

Fucking cunts.

Dreading2020sSeasonFinale · 29/10/2020 15:19

@ursuslemonade I remember that. I actually think I teared up reading it. If I recall correctly, she also wet herself during her panic attack

Odile13 · 29/10/2020 15:24

It wasn’t funny at all. I can’t stand that kind of ‘humour’. It’s actually really stupid and mean.

Best wishes OP and try not to let it get you down too much. They just aren’t very nice people.

kleew1 · 29/10/2020 15:25

They are arseholes!

JuliaJohnston · 29/10/2020 15:34

@thevassal

Really sorry this happened to you OP. There is nothing worse than that horrible embarrassed feeling. I read something on here a few years ago about the worst jokes people had played on someone, and in one a boss had bought staff fake scratchcards. One of the lowest paid workers (I think cafeteria staff or cleaner or something) "won" £10,000 and crying with happiness because she'd had a crap year and was worried about money, then the boss revealed it was all fake. The way the poster described it was absolutely horrific, I felt so sorry for the poor woman, even 3rd hand. Some people are just absolute dicks.

Agree with everyone else that the fact they did it at all and then kept it going for a whole week says much more about how pathetic they are than anything about you!

Also, well done for finding another job so quickly after losing yours. Really not easy in the current circumstances so you must interview/present really well!

How on earth did that play out??
Did the boss stand there pointing and sniggering when she realised she'd been had? It beggars belief that anyone could see any humour in making a complete fool of someone else Hmm
The stupid fucker should have been disciplined for that.
LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 29/10/2020 15:37

I really hope that the messages of support on here allow you to see that your colleagues are totally in the wrong. If it is possible I would be cool and aloof with them from now on. Life can be really really hard when you are worried and lonely. I don’t know what real life support you have. I hope you have better days to come in the very near future.

Serenity45 · 29/10/2020 15:51

It was a shitty thing to do OP and I would hope they do feel embarrassed themselves. Sounds unlikely based on what you've described though, as I doubt they would have the emotional maturity to reflect honestly on how they've made you feel. Absolute pricks.

Doingitaloneandproud · 29/10/2020 15:54

This Is such a nasty thing to do, a joke like it would have been funny to some people for say a minute but then that's it. (Not to me, I don't find things like that funny)
To know you're telling people and posting about it, because why wouldn't you?! And still not tell you is really downright nasty. They sound like bitches and I'm really sorry it been lonely at work for you the last few days Sad

MonicaBelulaGellar · 29/10/2020 15:59

Horrible cruel bitches. Absolutely bullying! It's funny for a few minutes. But they dragged it out and stood there sniggering. Horrible horrible horrible!!!!

LittleLapwing · 29/10/2020 16:06

I’d have to get them back if it were me. My revenge would be prank of epic proportions, followed by a huge laugh at their expense and a ‘oh I thought you LIKED practical jokes??’

But then maybe I’m not normal 😂

WiddlinDiddlin · 29/10/2020 17:26

Horrible, and why would you not believe?

I got bought an icecream and dinner at All Bar One by a celebrity.

I have a personal ringtone recorded by a celebrity (I wrote him a line, he recorded several versions for me).

Both of those things might SEEM highly unlikely and I am sure someone on here won't believe me but they happened.

A 30 second 'haha he got you a cake, no he didn't but here's a cake' might be funny (personally, I don't think so but free cake is free cake) but continuing to lie to you about it for a week is bullying, and not remotely amusing. Nor is it appropriate behaviour for the work place!

MelodramPatheticism · 29/10/2020 17:34

Bake them some very hot chilli brownies 😋 🥵

mrsmrt1981 · 29/10/2020 17:53

Bloody Hell... we would never get away with this kind of behaviour where I work. We wouldn’t even have the time to do this. They can’t have much work to do if they have the time to pull this kind of shit... bloody childish.

They have made themselves look absolutely ridiculous, and no one else. I know it doesn’t feel like it but the joke is on them. Hold your head high x

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 29/10/2020 21:41

It’s a really mean nasty thing to do. What you could do is get someone to phone work and say you had attempted suicide due to everyone sniggering at you and then
When u come back to work they’ll be so scared of you. Or you could get someone to say you’re in a far off hospital due to attempted suicide and then hopefully they’ll send some flowers and waste some money.

Do not do this. There is something seriously wrong with the poster who suggested it. Suicide is not something to make a prank of. @Dohrehmee what the fuck is the matter with you?

Shizzlestix · 29/10/2020 21:50

Nasty, nasty people. I’d rather be lonely at work than be friends with such horrible people.

DoingTheBestICan · 29/10/2020 22:02

Horrible and nasty thing to do to you op.
I remember years ago a lady that my DM worked with rung her DH to tell him that the work lottery syndicate had just won with all 6 numbers - he could be heard asking her again and again if it was true and how much they had won. She told him at least a million each, she was still in work and he was at home. He got pissed and went outside ranting and raving that they had won the lottery and would be moving away from this shithole! All the neighbours were outside watching and listening to this.
She came home from work to this commotion where she had to admit it was a joke - he promptly left her and they divorced not long after.
Nasty.

VashtaNerada · 29/10/2020 22:08

Absolute bastards the lot of them. Very immature behaviour, even my 8yo would recognise that as an unkind thing to do to someone.

Springb0ks · 29/10/2020 22:19

As a senior manager at work I would hope that a member of staff would come and tell me something like this. It would have consequences for the perpetrators. I'm sorry this has happened to you. Awful people who need to be called out on their behaviour and know that this is unacceptable in general- never mind in a workplace.

OhCaptain · 29/10/2020 22:19

That was horrible but please don’t post it all over social media. That will just prolong your embarrassment.

I guarantee that if you tag a celeb that you had framed a cake box on your wall, the internet will have a field day with you.

Best to just let it go in relation to the celeb.

I have to admit I don’t get the whole fan girl thing. Having someone record my ring tone for example is completely bat shit to me. Grin BUT that’s neither here nor there. Even if they thought it was a bit weird, there’s absolutely no excuse for what they did to you.

OhCaptain · 29/10/2020 22:20

Also would like to add my ‘what the fuck’ to the suggestion that you fake your suicide. Hmm