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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:
Iluvfriends · 27/02/2022 20:32

Maybe she's just crazy.

If she is being a jerk it doesn't matter if she's a higher band than you, jerks need pulled up on jerkish behaviour.

ChickenStripper · 27/02/2022 20:32

I was thinking it's someone's catch phrase too...

sageandbasil · 27/02/2022 20:32

God she sounds unhinged

LadyinRead · 27/02/2022 20:33

Emotional incontinence. Perhaps she has a hormone deficiency.

DinkyDaisy · 27/02/2022 20:34

I understand I can sound a bit 'proper' to some people. This has resulted in being laughed at.
However, she sounds like she was very inappropriate. Think yourself lucky you are bank and don't have to work with her long term.

Sockpile · 27/02/2022 20:34

I would guess it doesn’t have anything to do with you or what you said.

There was one occasion when I was under a huge amount of stress and one seemingly innocent sentence sent me into a huge fit of giggles. I wanted to stop but couldn’t and it was embarrassing for everyone present.

wtfwasthatmate · 27/02/2022 20:36

@WorraLiberty

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?

What is your problem?
YoComoManzanas · 27/02/2022 20:36

Perhaps she'd been partaking of the laughing gas on the sly...
Ask her next time you see her. Nothing to lose.

WorraLiberty · 27/02/2022 20:37

@wtfwasthatmate I'm not sure why you think I might have a problem? Confused

I'm pointing out that these are spontaneous reactions, so therefore I don't see how it can be rude if it's not deliberate?

watcherintherye · 27/02/2022 20:38

I reckon a pp may have hit the nail on the head when they said you might have misheard (not uncommon or particularly amusing!) Maybe she said, for example, “where’s the grey gown?” and your incongruous response triggered her uncontrollable laughter for some reason. It’s the only thing which makes any sense (not necessarily ‘grey gown’ but something similar!) Are there any grey gowns where you work? Grin
Don’t worry about it. Her reaction is verging on the hysterical and says more about her than you. Maybe you could ask if you misheard her the other day?

Ginspiration · 27/02/2022 20:39

@ConfusedNUpset I would maybe just say something along the lines of "Sorry i think i must have misheard you yesterday?"
Then its on her to either reply "Yes i think you did, i said xyz", or "Nah you heard me right, i'm just a massive cow"

Badnightguaranteed · 27/02/2022 20:39

Did you have new eyebrows ?
Cos someone on a thread yesterday reacted in a similar way to eyebrows .

MrsWombat · 27/02/2022 20:41

My child is undergoing regular treatment at an NHS clinic at the moment. They call the day before every appointment to remind us, and make sure we've not got Covid etc. I once said "we're all good, thank you" after the usual questions and the woman found that really hilarious over the phone. I couldn't work out why either and assumed it was because it was a very British response? Or because she's had a dozen patients say no I don't have covid, so my positive spin was unusual. It still bothers me a bit, clearly!

Theunamedcat · 27/02/2022 20:41

Sounds like you misheard her or she misheard you

Either way move along nothing to see here!

Crimesean · 27/02/2022 20:41

Honestly, she sounds mentally unwell or at the very least emotionally unstable for some reason. None of what you describe is normal, especially since it's really out of character.

Unless you know her well, ignore it. She should really apologise to you, but if she's unwell it's probably the furthest thing from her mind.

ChooseYourUsernameWisely · 27/02/2022 20:43

She sounds like an unhinged cow.

Ignore her OP. You were being polite and she seemed to hear something in your words that set her off.

blameless · 27/02/2022 20:44

In a former life, a green electrical conduit on the wall behind one desk could make the person sitting there look like Dipsy from the Teletubbies.
If two people came in together, one might get giggly and the other would be completely baffled as to what was so funny.

Hapoydayz · 27/02/2022 20:45

Hope you are ok. She sounds unhinged. But omfg she works for the NHS. This is becoming very unsurprising as there are so many people who really shouldn't be pretending they are in caring roles. No wonder people roll their eyes at the ridiculous clapping people did for the NHS previously.

strawberryapricotpie · 27/02/2022 20:45

I'd be feeling much the same as you in this scenario, but she sounds utterly rude - if she wasn't laughing at you, she should have told you what it was. If she was, I don't think her opinion is worth caring about, she sounds awful.

Original poster
ConfusedNUpset · 27/02/2022 20:46

Trying to think rationally … when I was a teenager I was late for school once and had to go and sign “the late book” at reception. The woman said to me “why are you late?” And I burst out laughing and couldn’t stop, I can’t explain it but it was the way she said it.
Maybe it was something like this.

OP posts:
strawberryapricotpie · 27/02/2022 20:46

[quote WorraLiberty]@wtfwasthatmate I'm not sure why you think I might have a problem? Confused

I'm pointing out that these are spontaneous reactions, so therefore I don't see how it can be rude if it's not deliberate?[/quote]
Perhaps if she'd bothered to explain the cause of the laughter? Something like that would make anyone feel paranoid.

BrutusMcDogface · 27/02/2022 20:46

Maybe she had just had a terrible day herself, and was on the verge of hysteria.

EarthSight · 27/02/2022 20:47

Normally I would assume that you were either wearing something she found funny, or had something stuck to your hair or similar, but it sounds way more than that.

If she was laughing this severely I'm inclined to think she might be under some enormous stress. There was something about what you said that might have triggered her off, but laughing really hysterically like this can be a coping mechanism.

MichelleScarn · 27/02/2022 20:47

@DinkyDaisy

I understand I can sound a bit 'proper' to some people. This has resulted in being laughed at. However, she sounds like she was very inappropriate. Think yourself lucky you are bank and don't have to work with her long term.
This was the same for me, absolutely bizarre!
LemonTT · 27/02/2022 20:47

@WorraLiberty

Howling with laughter

Tears rolling down her face

literally bent over screaming

Hyperventilating

Are you absolutely sure OP, or are you prone to exaggeration?

She scurried too
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