Woman at work burst out laughing at me

[ConfusedNUpset]

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!

She is rude

Ignore her

Could it be something out the window?

Sometimes when I catch a laugh in a certain mood, I just can't stop, it just goes on and I'm in pain from it and crying, it feels really good to laugh like that but also really bad because I'm trying to stop, and I really belly cackle, like a witch. I
wouldn't be able to tell you what it was in that situation either as I wouldn't be able to speak. I could probably say "not you" while attempting to catch my breath though, so maybe not.

If it was anything like that though, she should be able to explain when she's calmed down.

She’s known as a miserable cow and has picked on you.

I would put in a complaint about her laughing at you in an unkind way.

I was also going to suggest you misheard her question. Even if it was that her reaction was ridiculous.

To be honest I have sometimes found something really funny even though it isn't and I couldn't explain it to anyone. Maybe it was just that.

Thankfully hasn't happened at work though.

People looking excuses for this woman is just pathetic.

Perhaps if she'd bothered to explain the cause of the laughter? Something like that would make anyone feel paranoid.

But the OP said her hearing is failing, therefore it's very likely the woman doesn't realise the OP misheard her.

@Sparkletastic

She sounds bonkers. I'd assume she's having some sort of mental breakdown.

Sorry this made me really laugh out loud.

@Badnightguaranteed

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

@Badnightguaranteed Oh dear. Were they massive painted ones that have very square, severe inner edges that are far too close together?

It happened to me on the train once. My partner has to really try not to make me laugh in public, although sometimes I don't need anyone's help . I just look insane at times.

I met a girl once who did this. It was really inappropriate timing too. We were giving a friend a send off. Lots of use very emotional saying good bye etc.

This girl started laughing, uncontrollable laughing, as you say bent over double etc. We were all confused, didn't understand what the joke was. One girl got a bit shirty with her. Someone else became self conscious it was something they said etc etc we all walked away confused.

Few years later heard she got diagnosed as bipolar with manic/psychotic episodes.....

So, instead of sitting there wondering what you did - recognise that behaving like that, is not a social norm. It's far more likely something is wrong with her, than something you did or said that was that funny/embarrassing

@Hapoydayz

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.

Don't tar everyone that works for the NHS with the same brush, there are wonderful staff there too. Like any other organisation you'll find good and bad. I think you'll find NHS staff also rolled their eyes with the cringe clapping......we're just doing our job after all.

I’d guess either
-you’ve mis-heard her
-she’s misheard you
-she thought you were someone else
-she has social issues and it was an unintentional response.

I’d forget about it unless she does it again. Then ask her why.

What difference does it make that she is 2 grades above you,
If somebody made you uncomfortable and didn't apologise - just tell them you didn't understand why they were laughing so uncontrollably at your response to their question.

If it's possible OP misheard her, what could "how's the day going?" really have been, I wonder

For some reason this thread has really made me laugh

She sounds incredibly rude and stupid. i would not worry one little bit about her.

Oh, bollocks is it not rude. She was laughing at OP, after all, not with her. That's fucking rude. If it's one of those very, very, rare things whereby something strikes you as hilariously funny and you just can't stop yourself, you've got a responsibility to then find the person once you've pulled yourself the fuck together, apologize, and explain yourself as best as you're able.

@notaregularmomes

For some reason this thread has really made me laugh

Lightweight. You should be bending over - screaming and howling

@LetHimHaveIt

Oh, bollocks is it not rude. She was laughing at OP, after all, not with her. That's fucking rude. If it's one of those very, very, rare things whereby something strikes you as hilariously funny and you just can't stop yourself, you've got a responsibility to then find the person once you've pulled yourself the fuck together, apologize, and explain yourself as best as you're able.

But why would you do that if you didn't realise they'd misheard you in the first place?

That wouldn't make sense.

@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...

This is what I am wondering. Or do you think she could have been asking for a more in-depth answer? As in, as your senior, she was looking for a summary of what you had done that morning, ie procedures, number of patients, were you keeping to schedule etc, and you replied with a nicety?

My sister does this, it could be anything from the way you looked at her or something you said, she will go into fits of laughter, like as you say, howling, crying, that type of thing. Personally myself and other family members think she’s batshit.

I had a boy do this on a date once when we were teenagers. We were in a pub, I hadn't said anything funny & he just started doing that doubled over crying/laughing bullshit. Seemed to go on forever. When he eventually calmed himself down he explained that some "hilarious" thing had happened at work that day and he'd kept thinking about it. Put me right off him.
Anyway this woman sounds like a twat to not even apologise/explain. Id avoid engaging with her in future. I'm sure it wasn't you.

[quote Tootiredforallthis]Maybe she'd just seen this Bill Bailey clip...

[/quote] this is exactly what sprang to mind here too ;-)

what a rude bitch