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!

@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?

She could apologise afterward then 🤷‍♀️

[quote me4real]@WorraLiberty It's still obnoxious to laugh at someone to their face. And think of all the times we might want to do that, but we don't, because we're not arseholes.[/quote]
Quite. There are things that can not be said so as not to be an arsehole.

It sounds like one of those times something so shit has happened that you laugh and laugh and eventually end up crying and then just cry. I doubt it's anything to do with you OP.

Yeah, I agree with PPs. She sounds batshit and was incredibly rude. You don’t get on like that and not explain the joke/apologise for acting so weirdly.

If it was me I’d ignore her, only because I couldn’t be arsed with her screeching in response to me asking her what the fuck was up with her last shift.

@SmellyOldOwls

It sounds like one of those times something so shit has happened that you laugh and laugh and eventually end up crying and then just cry. I doubt it's anything to do with you OP.

I've had that before twice, both when I was really tired Once was at work and it was a kids cartoon at 5am and I ended up laugh crying and couldn't compose myself to say any more than "poor little fish" I set all my colleagues off too to the point we couldn't look at each other

She may not have been laughing at you, op. Sometimes people react to something, a shock perhaps, by hysterically laughing and can't help it. It could have been something that occurred before your encounter, you certainly didn't say anything out of order.

Do get your hearing checked, please.

my best guess is that you were standing in front of something that created a funny illusion

It wasn’t about you.

OP - she sounds shit / batshit

Is it an absolutely horrendous place to work?

Did she think you were being sarcastic? Clutching at straws a bit here

Don’t give it any thought. It’s probably nothing to do with you and everything to do with her.

Or just a misunderstanding

Youve more than likely misheard her and maybe your response was completely irrelevant to what they asked. However she was incredibly rude by the sounds of it.

Try not to let it play on your mind to much though as we all have awkward moments in work. I once got stuck in our works break room with one other person i had never met before and proceeded with the awkward small talk. After a few minutes i went on to “ask ive never really seen you before who’s team are you on and how long have you worked here?” Turns out she was one of our senior managers who was pretty much second in line to running the whole centre i worked in.

When my team found out i got laughed at all week for it.

I wouldn't worry about it.
Probably thought of something earlier that was funny.

@pawpaws2022 was it Peppa Pig? The episode with the fish really made me laugh for some reason 😂

OP I work in the NHS & I've seen that increasingly people are losing the plot left, right & centre. As others have said I think this more about her than you. Her behaviour was rude & unprofessional, it was also acknowledged by others, so I think you are within your rights to approach her privately & explain it's been on your mind, could she explain her actions. She will most likely apologise & cite whatever reasons have driven her to the point of madness in that day .

Either she's a rude weirdo, or you misheard. If the former, fuck her. If the latter, she's a bit inept; usually it's fairly obvious when someone's misheard you, and the thing to do is say 'No, I said...' and repeat yourself.

I bet you misheard her and your response was incongruous.

Sounds like she might be on the verge of a breakdown. Mainly as her colleague said it was out of charachter and also as she didnt co.e back and explain. Even if it was you that triggered her, it is her issue and not yours

[quote ShittyFingers]@pawpaws2022 was it Peppa Pig? The episode with the fish really made me laugh for some reason 😂[/quote]
It wasn't! It was some random cartoon where the baby fish got left behind
I was on a night shift and had hit a wall

@pawpaws2022 awww! In the Peppa Pig episode they all fall onto their backs laughing at the end, then you see the fish bowls and the goldfish have also flipped upside down in the water and are laughing on their backs too 😂 I don’t know why it made me laugh so much!

Come on, just because someone had a laughing fit doesn’t mean she is mentally ill or having a breakdown, surely the most likely thing is that something funny happened! She couldn’t tell the OP what it was as she was laughing too much. Ask her today OP!!

@ConfusedNUpset

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.

That’s probably the case. I once started laughing in a french class and couldn’t stop. It happens.

Or maybe she’s over stressed and that’s how it manifested.

If you see her again, just ask if she’s recovered.

It was rude, and even more rude that she didn't come back to you to apologise and explain.

I would go to see her and ask what set her off.

@Ivyonafence

Unbelievably rude behaviour by her.

I think you should tell her, you're upset and confused as to why she was laughing at you yesterday and you would like to know what that was about because now you're wondering if it was something you said or did.

It's cruel to do that and not explain herself. Anyone would be bothered by it. She should have to address her own behaviour here.

Exactly!