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Original poster

Just had the weirdest day at work! Is it me?

111 replies

CrazyDiamondz · 19/10/2023 14:18

i had a student working with me today and the day started off like any other. However! When the first client arrived (a client who is normally very chatty and pleasant with me) he acted like he couldn’t stand me. Visibly rolled his eyes when he saw me and was just really off (but nice to the student). When he left I said I didn’t know what was wrong with him as he’s normally so nice! Student joked it must be the weather.

Second client arrived - another one who I normally get on well with and he was ok but still a bit off compared to normal and made a joke to the student about drawing the short straw having to work with me!

3rd client came in and was laughing and joking as normal to begin with but then started getting really stroppy saying “didn’t you wake up properly this morning? What’s WRONG with you?” Etc etc! I wasn’t going anything different to normal!

Anyway, a couple of clients later a man came in who was absolutely lovely to me last week … started off ok and then suddenly he thoroughly disliked me, started saying how great our company was - shame about some of the staff (said with a nod to student implying me), asked if he’d be seeing me next week then said “oh great 🙄” when I confirmed he would. I was really on a downer at this point as all this was in front of the student and god knows what she thought. These are people I see weekly and have always had a good relationship with - infact most of them specifically ask for me when making appointments. The cherry on the cake was a client came in and randomly said “do you actually know what you’re doing this time?” 😱 I said “are you mistaking me for someone else? I can’t recall a time I’ve ever done anything wrong?” And he looked at student and laughed saying “maybe, maybe not” ??!!

Student then clearly felt uncomfortable as she made her excuses and left!! I’m so confused! I thought maybe a couple were showing off to student but all of them?? I honestly can’t recall an incident in which I’ve upset or angered any of these people?! I’ve never had a day like it. It was so bad it was like they had all been replaced by different people - I was half expecting an Ant and Dec style “reveal” that it was all a wind up.

OP posts:
OhComeOnFFS · 19/10/2023 14:24

That is so weird! Will you be seeing them again?

Was your student young and very attractive? It does sound as though they were trying to impress them.

ItsThatTimeAgainXmas · 19/10/2023 14:27

Can't make a judgement without knowing what you do really. Are you in a industry where there might be an article about you somewhere? Is someone spreading a malicious rumour?

Gypsum5 · 19/10/2023 14:27

Perhaps they’re testing you to see how you behave with a student around.

Original poster
CrazyDiamondz · 19/10/2023 14:31

OhComeOnFFS · 19/10/2023 14:24

That is so weird! Will you be seeing them again?

Was your student young and very attractive? It does sound as though they were trying to impress them.

Yes I’ll be seeing all of them again next week … will be interesting to see how they act as student won’t be there!

OP posts:
SisterAgatha · 19/10/2023 14:32

Are you unconsciously making a face?
Did you sleep badly?
wearing a new perfume?

this will sound like a wind up but…

Sometimes I look so deeply miserable and it’s unconscious. I check the mirror purposely for this reason when I get in to work and try hard to rearrange my face into a slight smile expression. I usually know I’m doing it when people keep asking me if I’m ok.

Put front camera on and check your face for a snarl.

Original poster
CrazyDiamondz · 19/10/2023 14:33

ItsThatTimeAgainXmas · 19/10/2023 14:27

Can't make a judgement without knowing what you do really. Are you in a industry where there might be an article about you somewhere? Is someone spreading a malicious rumour?

No I’m really not important enough for anyone to write articles on me 😂 I lead a very quiet life anyway … nothing interesting to dig up!

OP posts:
ItsThatTimeAgainXmas · 19/10/2023 14:35

So what do you do? You have a student and weekly clients so you could be a counsellor or an art teacher. Context is everything. Do the clients know each other?

Original poster
CrazyDiamondz · 19/10/2023 14:37

ItsThatTimeAgainXmas · 19/10/2023 14:35

So what do you do? You have a student and weekly clients so you could be a counsellor or an art teacher. Context is everything. Do the clients know each other?

I can’t give that info out but no the clients don’t know each other.

OP posts:
ItsThatTimeAgainXmas · 19/10/2023 14:39

Oh right. Don't know then, you could just have had a really bad week last week without you realising and they're taking it out on you this week. Or they were expecting to make greater progress by now and have realised X number of weeks in that actually they're paying and not doing well enough. Depends on what you do as I said I guess. Good luck with it.

banivani · 19/10/2023 14:42

Was your student Tortuous Convolvulus? This is only a funny reference if you've read Asterix and the Roman Agent.

It sounds really odd, OP!

Asterix and the Roman Agent - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix_and_the_Roman_Agent

realitychequer · 19/10/2023 14:44

Are you a probation officer?

Original poster
CrazyDiamondz · 19/10/2023 14:46

realitychequer · 19/10/2023 14:44

Are you a probation officer?

No, nothing like that.

OP posts:
SoOpenitsbrainshavefallenout · 19/10/2023 14:49

It’s possible that they all know and like you so well, that they are all making the same joke

YourNameGoesHere · 19/10/2023 14:50

To be honest if it was one or 2 then it's likely to be them but for 4 clients to be ok with you one week and all off with you today it does rather point to the problem being something you're doing than them.

Livedandlearned · 19/10/2023 14:52

I think they were showing off in front of your student as pp said.

PennyNotWise · 19/10/2023 14:53

Did you have their permission to have a student in? Maybe it was discomfort on their part, a third person always changes the dynamic, and discomfort on your part as you wanted to present yourself well. And then kind of snowballed into a self fulfilling prophecy?! Not speaking from experience at all 🥴

Summerhillsquare · 19/10/2023 14:53

Are they all men? In which case they are showing off to the student, they like having power over you

watcherintherye · 19/10/2023 14:56

Maybe a mixture of showing off, and nervousness in front of someone new? Did you ask your clients’ permission for a student to be present? Also are you sure that you were being your normal self or were you perhaps a bit tense and trying too hard, as you were aware of being observed by the student?

watcherintherye · 19/10/2023 14:57

X post!

Tweddle · 19/10/2023 14:58

I think you need to reflect on previous appointments with these clients and see if you can identify anything that has happened in the past that is making them behave like this.

I’m not implying you have done anything wrong, and it may well be that the problem lies with them, but reflective practice is important if you’re working in a role that involves interactions with clients.

cstaff · 19/10/2023 14:58

It does sound really weird OP. The only difference from other appointments was that the student was present. Could it be a privacy issue on their part i.e. they are used to seeing you alone and you added a third party with this student.

Did you ask them if they were OK with having the student there and even if they said ok in their response, they may not have been and just took their annoyance out on you as you are the only one they knew.

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 19/10/2023 15:00

Are you a vet?

wildwestpioneer · 19/10/2023 15:17

I idea what's going on, were they all men? Were they showing off showing of the student?

Do come back next week and tell us how they were without the student being present

BakedTattie · 19/10/2023 15:20

are you a nurse in a gp office?

I reckon it is the weather. It’s so horrible, putting everyone in bad moods

BakedTattie · 19/10/2023 15:21

Or a physio?

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