How do you deal with someone who stands between you and the person you're talking to?

[HidingUnderARock]

This has happened to me twice now as a very particular and intentional thing.
When in a group but talking directly to person A, person C interrupts loudly steps between us facing me and tells me their opinion very forcibly. Completely blocking my view of person A who is now looking at C's back. When I step or lean to the side to make more of a triangle and talk to A again C steps to the side to block us.

There must be a name for this. It is infuriating and I don't know how to handle it. Getting infuriated doesn't help of course.

In both cases person A and B are doing work at our home and person C (and D) were brought in as additional. They clearly thought their opinion was the most important and should carry the decision. I didn't.

I am not good at decisions and find it helpful to talk them through before making them. A knows that and is helpful and patient, but just stands quietly and lets it happen, which I don't blame him for at all.

It is obviously a thing. I just want to be able to name it and to stop it in its tracks rather than standing helplessly getting lectured.

Yes Blocking. I think you're right, thank you.

That's a good line "Do not speak to me like that in my home". I can do that. It feels quite like angry me.

I am now concious that I feel able to do these things because other people (you) have said I can. How pathetic am I?
I guess its maybe about sanity checking for acceptable behaviour.
Thank you again.

Billy thank you for your story. I think you may be right about C. I don't want to think it of A though.
And Greyhound, thank you and sorry :)
Moral support at its finest.

You're not pathetic. You're someone who acts politely and reasonably and who expects others do do the same. It's always going to be a surprise when someone who doesn't act that way ambushes you. I have been there. So many times, in fact, that my reaction time between the surprise and the righteous outrage has been honed to "test pilot".

Good luck with kicking C's backside.

Just hold your hand up infront of C's face,it will shock him and stop him in his tracks and then whislt he's flustured and can't string a sentance together you get to speak!

It works,it doesn't involve any physical contact and it's easy to do and alot easier to remember to do in the heat of the moment.

I'd be saying to person C, "if I was talking to you, I'd be looking at you, but I wasn't, shift as I want to carry on talking to person A".

I've given up being polite to people like this, they aren't worth it.

@HidingUnderARock

Yes Blocking. I think you're right, thank you.

That's a good line "Do not speak to me like that in my home". I can do that. It feels quite like angry me.

I am now concious that I feel able to do these things because other people (you) have said I can. How pathetic am I?
I guess its maybe about sanity checking for acceptable behaviour.
Thank you again.

Billy thank you for your story. I think you may be right about C. I don't want to think it of A though.
And Greyhound, thank you and sorry :)
Moral support at its finest.

You're not pathetic, not in the least. We're conditioned to believe that expressing an emotion such as anger or annoyance is unbecoming and therefore we stop short of (verbally) grabbing the short & curlies and saying "Listen here pal..."

You absolutely can do this OP. Whatever works you're having done, I want you to be able to look at that spot as a reminder in years to come and think "that's where I laid down the law & got exactly what I wanted" and not, "that's where the arsehole builders did what they wanted".

Deep breath, shoulders back and: "My house, my projects, my money, my boundaries."

You are not pathetic.
All you need is a few strategies to use.
The palm up is very effective.

In my case what motivated me through the haze of exhaustion was that I would be living with the shower head in the wrong place for years.
He knew well where I wanted it because we had discussed it at length already.

My builder wanted to do what was easier for HIM and that was what he did.

But it wasn't what we had agreed and I wasn't being bullied into agreeing with a baby in my arms looking like death warmed up.

It was his loss though because it was a large job and I didn't recommend him afterwards, despite being asked at least a dozen times.

He lost my trust and I was furious that he tried to take advantage of me.

My point is that YOU will be left looking at the annoyance of what they did for years.

Not good.

They need to change it.

Pain now for long gain.

Don't let it go.

All good advice upthread. But OP, please consider having some assertiveness training so this never happens again.

You sound like you have been brainwashed to be a nice meek obedient little woman and never stand up for your opinions or interrupt the men, because that wouldn’t be “nice” or ladylike.
It is not rude or unfeminine to clearly and firmly express your requirements for a project in your own home, for which you are paying.
And in the long run, your meekness has been counterproductive for everyone, including the builders, who will now have to rip it out and do it again the way you actually wanted!
A bit of firmness from the outset would have been better all round.