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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Woman at work burst out laughing at me

250 replies

ConfusedNUpset · 27/02/2022 19:48

I do bank shifts for the NHS, therefore I’m not in one place, I move around so don’t really get to know anyone properly as such.
Yesterday I was on shift when the senior came into the clinic to borrow something. She asked how the day was going and I said “not too bad thank you”. That was all I said. Well she started sniggering looked like she was trying to hold it back and then burst out howling with laughter. I didn’t know what to do so I kind of laughed along and just said “what is it?” But she couldn’t talk, she had tears rolling down her face and was literally bent over screaming with laughter. I asked again what was funny and she just waved her hands at me as she couldn’t speak. Anyway I decided to just carry on with my work and she eventually scurried out of the room but I could still hear her laughing in the corridor.

So I was paranoid anyway. This morning another staff member came in for something and asked what I’d done to senior as she was hyperventilating when she got back to the office. I told her she’d just burst out laughing for no reason and she said that was unusual as she’s a miserable sod normally.

Now I’m ultra paranoid. I’m due back there tomorrow but I’m so self conscious now and feel like I can’t say anything as she’s senior (as in two bands higher than me).

Any suggestions as what she might have been laughing at?? Could it be that she remembered something funny and I just happened to be there? DH keeps telling me to forget about it but it’s really playing on my mind.

Name changed as ultra outing!

OP posts:
1forAll74 · 27/02/2022 20:11

I can always think of something funny to say in these kind of situations. and would make a bit of a coversation piece about things.. and not be left in the lurch until things were clear.

SavoyCabbage · 27/02/2022 20:11

Im a supply so like you I'm always going to different places and working with different people. Mostly people are absolutely lovely and more recygratef

sonjadog · 27/02/2022 20:13

She sounds really odd. I think it is definitely her and not you.

You didn't say anything weird btw. And even if you did say something slightly funny, her reaction is still really over the top weird.

Tootiredforallthis · 27/02/2022 20:13

Maybe she'd just seen this Bill Bailey clip...

Georgeskitchen · 27/02/2022 20:13

What bizarre behaviour if she does it again you should challenge her, when she stops laughing!!

SavoyCabbage · 27/02/2022 20:15

Whoops...
and more recently grateful that someone has turned up.

But every now and then you encounter a wanker who thinks they are superior to you because I'm not a 'real teacher'. Like I couldn't get a job if I wanted one and that's why I'm doing supply.

I once had a similar experience to you where he laughed hysterically because I asked where the photocopier was. Confused No, I don't know the layout of your little infant school! Why would I?

Original poster
ConfusedNUpset · 27/02/2022 20:15

@Ginspiration

Did she definitely ask how the day was going? Only thing i can think of is you might have misheard her and that "not too bad thank you" was an unintentionally hilarious response...
Shit that’s got me worried now as I am suffering with increasing hearing loss. I keep meaning to see a doctor about it. God I hope I haven’t totally misheard her
OP posts:
Partyatnumberten · 27/02/2022 20:16

Howlingwith laughter

Tearsrolling down her face

literallybent overscreaming

Hyperventilating

If she spat her drink out as well my guess is she's a mumsnetter

Burgoo · 27/02/2022 20:18

How weird. You will never know.

I've had hilarious things happen and then gone onto speak with someone else and the previous event is still on my mind. But surely you would just say what it was?

You don't smell? Or have torn clothing etc? I had a colleague in the NHS who once stank. Every time she walked into the room everyone eyeballed each other and walked out. It became a bit of a running gag (pun intended). She literally smelt like a mix of body odour and farts.

I ended up telling her as none of the female colleagues would do it. She was embarrassed but said it made sense why people kept giggling.

I suspect it is, however, just that she is a complete loony. I am wondering if she may actually have some sort of mental health difficulty - if she looks miserable a lot of the time she may well be going "high". Again that's guesswork, you will likely never know.

I'd just ask her. Certainly strange.

Burgoo · 27/02/2022 20:19

@Partyatnumberten

Ouch! ;)

OakPine · 27/02/2022 20:20

NO it's not you.

Whatever you did or said, her response was beyond rude, and given she is senior to you, and was at work, highly, highly unprofessional.

She was out of order.

Notanotherwindow · 27/02/2022 20:20

Probably unintentional hilarious timing.

Like we once had a box of donuts sent from head office. The children men were being very immature with conversation that started around

'should work for crispy kreme. Free donuts.'

'Oh yeah quality control where you get to taste test all day.'

'LOL donut inspector!'

Then in walks the boss 'ooh got any chocolate ring ones?'

Everyone collapses with laughter and boss is utterly mystified as to why 80% of his staff are crying with mirth and the other 20% are rolling their eyes and muttering about how men are all just overgrown 12 year olds.

WholeHog · 27/02/2022 20:21

Was the question definitely directed at you? There wasn't a patient present that she could have been addressing instead of you?

Maflingo · 27/02/2022 20:21

I was also going to suggest that she’d recently seen that Bill Bailey clip as it was the first thing that came to my mind when I read your post. And honestly, once you’ve started laughing that much, every time you try to explain yourself it just gets worse.
However, I would have made the effort to find you later in the shift to explain myself!

JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 27/02/2022 20:22

I don't think it is you, I suspect it is that you happened to be there at that time and say something innocuous that triggered her. I remember being in a brittle state when my mental health is bad so I would just be cautious around her.

Hiphopboppertybop99 · 27/02/2022 20:23

Very strange behaviour OP, hope you do get to know what was so hilarious though.

Feedmepancakes · 27/02/2022 20:26

Your reply seems pretty normal to me. If she is normally miserable, and the staff say laughing is out of character then it sounds like the pressure of the job is getting to her.

Just keep your head down, avoid her and be glad you aren't there permanently!

DoorWasAJar · 27/02/2022 20:28

I’m not NT either, is she an older nurse? I know the saying ‘nurses eat their young’... I experienced some similar behaviour when I started working in care, it turns out that some local people think I’m up myself or jumped up, because of my non local accent and apparently I sound too ‘posh’ although I sound absolutely nothing like the queen or their ilk. I haven’t even finished high school, ffs. But if I said ‘thank you’ I would get mocked, I observed how they greet each other and copied it. I suppose the ‘issue’ is that I can sound too formal and this seems to trigger people to bully me. Another older coworker Anglicised my name and when I asked her politely to pronounce it phonetically, she swore and shouted at me and lost the plot. Some people are just unpleasant, OP and sometimes neurodiverse coworkers get the worst of it.

Thatsplentyjack · 27/02/2022 20:28

That's weird of her and rude not to explain. Hopefully she comes and gives you an explanation tomorrow, if not you should do it back to her, see how she likes it Wink

DoorWasAJar · 27/02/2022 20:28

*Ah I’m sorry, forgot to paragraph ☹️

PukkaP · 27/02/2022 20:29

She sounds like she's having some kind of breakdown.

Polyputthekettleon · 27/02/2022 20:29

If she does that again,tell her she is in the wrong hospital 🙂

me4real · 27/02/2022 20:30

I had that happen in a shop from the bloke on the till the other week and made a complaint by phone later. Either it was that my hair was a bit windswept, or my mask was wonky. Either way it was really obnoxious.

The only other time I've had it happen was when someone had spread some lie/mockery about me (not sure what, I asked the gigglers what they were laughing about and said they were making me paranoid, but they wouldn't say.

One time I made some people laugh by the way I happened to say something, in a way that was a boost. But I think you can tell when someone's laughing at you (in a bad way) not with you (or amused in a harmless way.)

WorraLiberty · 27/02/2022 20:31

But the OP says she's definitely not exaggerating so how on earth can the woman be rude?

Howling with laughter

Tears rolling down her face

Literally bending over and screaming screaming

Hyperventilating

None of those are deliberate actions are they?

WandaThePanda · 27/02/2022 20:31

She sounds like a bit of a twat, OP - I’d honestly just forget about it. If she does anything like that again, just give her a stoney gaze and ask “why do you think it’s appropriate to react like that towards me?” You very much sound like the normal one in this scenario FWIW.