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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what stupid questions you've been asked

480 replies

backtolifebacktoreality · 09/12/2021 09:58

Last weekend I phoned a local florists
and asked them to send some flowers to a nearby friend.

The friend lives in a relatively small cul de sac. The florist obviously asked the address for them to be delivered to. I advised they lived at No 12.

She then went on asking all sorts of questions about how she could find the house once in the street, ie what side of the road etc. She then asked questions about what would make the house recognisable to her, ie what colour front door.

I had to bite my lip but really wanted to respond "the fact that is has the number 12 on the door"!

OP posts:
tolerable · 11/12/2021 04:20

ds(now 26)but maybe 5 at time and his same age cousin went to bathroom to wash hands pre- new year living room picnic...i thought i was marry poppinsy a.f. .. (ring in the bells at 8pm..then pjs n adults pary bit later).Except,one of them left tap running/one dropped teddy in basin. ..So pizza slices n mini sausage rolls out way id started disco music fun..til electric all shut off.at which point the dreaded overflow of water became audible.
I called out hours\council services..all in a panic..said
"my house has just flooded!!"
she said "what with?"...
(stupid question?)..i said fquin happiness doll,am just showin off.

SonicBroom · 11/12/2021 04:27

Time for bed @tolerable Grin

SonicBroom · 11/12/2021 04:29

Actually sorry @tolerable my mistake…! I had to reread your post a couple of times and now I see it!

FrenchFancie · 11/12/2021 04:59

I used to work in the probate department, you’d be amazed at the number of companies who seem to not understand that the deceased can’t fill out or sign forms any more, nor can I tell them where they are living now. (Was tempted to reply ‘the cemetery’ to that question)

tolerable · 11/12/2021 06:01

@SonicBroom - the "time for bed tolerable"chude ...is pretty much..how my life goes.
You are spectacular-1) reread
2)actual apologised
i real appreciate that,im not ctively tryna be arsey so..you got me..is fab. cheers :)

kailoe · 11/12/2021 06:33

Not what ive been asked but i once asked a surveyor if he wanted to see my attic.....I lived on a ground floor flat!!

Pinklemonade1 · 11/12/2021 06:53

Pushing my baby twins along in a pram whilst walking my dog..lady asks "Are they triplets?.".... Erm, only incase you include the dog? 😂

BycullahRoad · 11/12/2021 07:57

My first time of using the electronic passport readers at Gatwick airport. I showed my passport, looked into the screen and the machine firmly said "No". Tried it three or four times and eventually asked the nice man standing near by. He suggested I take my glasses off. I asked what I should do next, and he said to follow the instructions on the screen. I said "I can't read the instructions, I haven't got my glasses on!" Turned out I was putting the passport in the wrong way. Not my finest moment after a long day's travel.

Suipigz · 11/12/2021 08:10

Not me but on holiday in USA at the drinks counter:
Customer ‘How big is the 16oz drink’
Vendor ( deadpan) ‘16oz’
Me in hysterics for 5 minutes
Smile

mayormaynothavehadaparty · 11/12/2021 08:14

@FortVictoria

Had a missed call from an unknown number. Called back, gave Receptionist my name, explained was returning missed call. “Do you know who called you?” “No - as explained, I missed the call” “Okay. Do you know what the call was about?” Now, where did I leave my crystal ball…………
Oh god, i hate those calls. If they want you to call back, they leave a message.
SunshineCake1 · 11/12/2021 08:17

@violetbunny

Oh and another one...

Me: "I'm off for a haircut, I'll be back in a few hours."
DP: "Oh ok. Are you getting it cut longer or shorter?"
Me: "Er.... Longer!" HmmGrin
DP: "Huh?"

He could have meant extensions added.
heather2908 · 11/12/2021 08:36

Years ago, I worked for Toys R Us. One customer bought one of those hippo shaped sandpits/paddling pools (the massive ones with a lid) and asked me if I had a bag for it.

Another one bought a Wendy house and asked me if it would fit in their car. I asked them what sort of car it was and the customer said “Oh. I don’t know but it’s blue.” Xmas Confused

AlternativePerspective · 11/12/2021 08:37

Oh, I had a call once, answered it and the person at the other end said “hello, is this Joan?” (Joan not being the real name, I can’t actually remember what it was,) me: “no sorry you have the wrong number.” Him: “are you sure?” 😂.

The worst of it was that he rang back about 3 times and I eventually threatened to report him to the police if he rang again.

notjaneausten · 11/12/2021 08:42

My hearing is extremely poor, borderline for cochlear implants.
I asked someone to repeat something, as I didn’t hear.
"Have you tried hearing aids?"

TotoAnnihiliation · 11/12/2021 08:45

@Youdoyoutoday

Mum died so I phoned the post office to inform them that mum has died, we will have to close the account etc. The wally on the phone tells me I'm not authorised to speak on my mum's behalf and could he possibly speak to her first to get authorisation??

That was my first and ever "now look here sonny boy..."

What a dick!

I recently had the same experience. At the end of the call the person on the phone reminded me I had a cooling off period of two weeks if I no longer wished to close the account.

Yes, my gran was going to decide that passing away was a mistake and come back just to use her post office phone account 🙄

Maireas · 11/12/2021 09:10

@backtolifebacktoreality

And another stupid question this morning ...

I dropped my son's college application off at our local college this morning.

I passed the envelope to the receptionist and she asked "is the application form complete"?

As if we are going to drop off an incomplete form!

We're still chasing incomplete student forms in our sixth form that should have been done in September. It's a pain.
sueelleker · 11/12/2021 09:16

@PyjamaMuddleduck

Do you have children? By the sonography looking for retained products of conception after my missed miscarriage
Tactless maybe, but he may have meant did you have any older children.
LightDrizzle · 11/12/2021 09:27

The house number one is very sensible. Next time you are walking around residential streets look at how many houses have tiny numbers, no number, numbers obscured by bushes. Plus those that do have one might have it on the door, garage wall, gate, left or right of door… if you are driving it will save time if once you know you are in the right zone you are looking for a sage green front door with a standard holly tree on the right of it.

It’s worse in England because we are so keen on naming our houses so you can’t always work it out from the neighbours as No 7 might be between The Sycamores and Church View rather than Nos 9 & 5.

twinkletoesfairy · 11/12/2021 11:22

When I was younger - 'Are you sure?' when I was spelling out my surname, and 'Are you sure you don't mean x, y and z?', when asked what my sisters' names were, and I had answered, 'They are a, b and c.' Also, 'Are you sure?' when responding to 'where are you from?'

Nowomenaroundeh · 11/12/2021 11:45

"how long is your hair?" A question asked in person by my non-visually impaired (apart from being blind drunk) sitting beside me and looking at my hair which I was growing back after chemo. "This long". I replied. "Oh right, so that's the length of it there is it?" She continued. Not a hint of irony.

Callaird · 11/12/2021 11:54

[quote FoxgloveSummers]@theelephantinthegroup my poor dad had to do those calls, I think at one point he said of course the manager could speak to her, he'd just get an exhumation order.[/quote]
My parents passed away within 9 months of each other.
My brother would say, ‘ok, I’ll just get the Ouija board out. Could you turn down the lights!!’

BobbieT1999 · 11/12/2021 11:55

@LightDrizzle

The house number one is very sensible. Next time you are walking around residential streets look at how many houses have tiny numbers, no number, numbers obscured by bushes. Plus those that do have one might have it on the door, garage wall, gate, left or right of door… if you are driving it will save time if once you know you are in the right zone you are looking for a sage green front door with a standard holly tree on the right of it.

It’s worse in England because we are so keen on naming our houses so you can’t always work it out from the neighbours as No 7 might be between The Sycamores and Church View rather than Nos 9 & 5.

I'd like to add that hidden or non existent house numbers are the absolute BANE of emergency services!

Please make sure, for the sake of the paramedics rushing to you, that your house number is easily seen from the road at night!

wentworthinmate · 11/12/2021 13:10

Someone once asked me (I worked in the emergency services) where Great Ormond Street Hospital was in London.

wentworthinmate · 11/12/2021 13:20

@PinkWednesdays

Went to the doctor complaining of a lot of rectal bleeding. Doctor asked me if I’m getting it mixed up with my period…

I wasn’t, and it turned out I had bowel cancer (all fine now).

That is hilarious but not all at the same time. Glad you're ok.
Topazmumma · 11/12/2021 13:20

I used to work in a famous catalogue type shop, and one morning a lady rang the store to ask about the 50m garden hose we had on offer. I kid you not, she asked me if it would reach to the bottom of her garden!!