12 years of the same 'joke' and I have the rage! AIBU

[Hotflushesandchilblains]

I have worked in the same place for 12 years, with mostly women and a few men. One of those, A, is giving me the rage big time and I cant figure out why I am so annoyed by this stupid so-called 'joke'. Most people live in the county we cover, but I live in the next one over. Since I have met him, A regularly makes the same joke about me not having electricity, running water, etc etc - you get the picture, that we are backward where I live. Just recently its making me want to punch him. I have told him its not amusing any more (not that it ever was). He is a bit of a 'character' anyway - very attention seeking and the kind who wants to be cracking jokes all the time. I think I am generally annoyed with him lately because there is a big project going on at work which I have done much of the set up for, and which he is trying to muscle in on. But I seem to be able to keep my feelings under wraps until he trots out this stupid joke. Is it as obnoxious as it feels?

What a strange thing to do. She sounds tedious but instead of just finishing your letter with sorry don’t feel we have much in common so I don’t wish to continue corresponding, you what? Pretended to essentially vanish? Have her concerned for you for four months and probably still occasionally wondering what happened to you?
How utterly messed up.

Have her concerned for you for four months and probably still occasionally wondering what happened to you?

Well, that's a bit dramatic. 😵‍💫

Isle of Wight?

It's not racist but I do sympathise. I don't live in my city of origin and if I had £1 for every time someone said 'eh, eh, calm down' or referred to cars propped up on bricks, I'd be a very rich woman. Could you not just do a great big exaggerated yawn and tell him to get some new material as his current jokes are getting a little tired?

I think I’d just look super duper bored and say Colin, most people get a new joke once or twice in 12 years. You’d think especially when no one even laughed the first time.

if you say anything about your weekend in a group with him pause, say Colin that was your cue- remember your one joke, that one about running water? Seriously if I only had one joke I’d remember it.

I had an uncle (by marriage) like this. His parents were first cousins. Any who...💁‍♀️

Sometimes you need to find a good way to tell someone to foxtrot oscar. 😁

@Hotflushesandchilblains When he starts saying stuff again like 'Have you got the Internet yet?' just act as if you've heard what he said, then agree by saying, Yes I know! And guess what, my neighbour has just sold her house for £625,000. It's even better if your answer has nothing to do with what he says!

Next time, you could play along, say that you’ve got electricity these days and even the internet, where you read that Yourtown is one of the best places to live.

Or just respond each time with an uninterested hmm. If he’s the sort to take any response as a green light to up the bantz, grey rock might be your friend here.

I have the opposite problem, every one I meet thinks I must be posh when they find out what county I’m from and makes jokes about being “a lady that lunches” or if I ever dare buy myself anything nice “did your husband buy you that?” Or “must be nice being a kept woman”
It infuriates me.

For the record, I am so far removed from being posh that it’s just ludicrous, I work hard for everything I have-and although I am married, I have never, NEVER, relied on a man for anything

I’d just snap and say loudly in front of others ‘Gary!! It’s been 12 years of the same awful fucking joke! I get it, we’re inbred in Somerset, I have no water, we don’t have electricity blah blah blah! Change the record for the love of god!!! It wasn’t funny 12 years ago, but now it’s driving me to the fucking brink every time you mention it - I’m begging you, just please shut the fuck up.

*Amend Somerset to any UK county.

Once you hear him start saying it then join in word for word then say 'after 12, yes 12! Years of hearing this joke (please do the finger inverted comma thing) I thought it deserved to be put to bed, never to be spoken of again with a lovely duet so thankyou Brian that was a very fitting ended to a very shitty dragged out not in the least funny ditty
Now shall we get on with our work?

Must be Norfolk! 😁

I don’t know if it’s obnoxious, but it must be bloody boring listening to the same joke for 12 years.

Unfortunately he probably thinks it’s ’your thing’ now. A bit of an in joke. You’re going to have to put him straight.

''You know what else we don't have? Manners. Now fuck off''.

How about
Yes, spot on we "don't have electricity” but at least I don't still live with my mum.

How many people in your village Colin? Mmmm? 2000 people and only 2 surnames is that right?

... Calling over to your manager, 'Lisa, have you got HRs number?

Ooo, did you get that joke off Rolf Harris when you shared a cell with him?

All guarenteed to get a better laugh than Colin.

I think silence can speak more than a thousand words, so every time Colin makes his "joke," l would say nothing for a full minute then turn to your colleague and say something along the lines of: "Carol, what are your thoughts on this latest part of the project?" It is pointed and should be obvious to all but someone with the thickest of skin. By not rising to the bait, you have the moral high ground, you make Colin look even sillier than he already does and you have not said or done anything that could come back to bite you at another time.

She said Counties!

I doubt Warwickshire looking down on Leicestershire counts as racism, hun 😂

It's racist

😂😂😂

Being Welsh isn't a race nor a county. I really wish people would look up what racism is and what xenophobia is (not that's it would be xenophobic either)

Is it Herefordshire? I've had a life time of hearing that from people from Worcestershire.

I'm a west midlander but I don't live there and I get this all the time only more to do with intelligence level or ancestry than anything else.

In your case I would consider "Colin, thanks so much for your incredible wit and sparkling repartee, the office wouldn't be the same without you and your little joke, what's it been now? 12 years? Carol did those reports come in yet?"

I once told a colleague who just wouldn't leave it alone whatever I tried, to the point I was getting a Pink Panther, Herbert Lom eye twitch got told "Si, you know if you shut your legs and your mouth it would stop all the smell and the noise round here." I'd probably be frogmarched off the premises if I said it today in an office environment so maybe not that one. Did shut him up though, he was embarrassed enough to not be able to look me in the boobs for a month.

Oh and I once tried to be nice to a new boy at senior school, he was from Brum. He was having a really tough time of it with other kids taking the piss, so I went up to say hello being a fellow midlander. He thought I was trying to copy his accent - badly. When I told him where I was from in the Black Country, he said "oh you're one of the fuckin thicko yam yams" and walked off. Sometimes you can't help people.

Comedians who head down here from South London to local pub comedy nights always make the same stupid jokes about us living in fields and all working on farms and not knowing anything about the 21st century. Oh so funny,

Obviously some people live on farms, lots of people wear wellies sometimes. It's just the lazy generalisations that are very wearing and dull.

classic orinetalism

I can't think of ANY Counties in England that would be considered 'backward' and without electricity &c -or for that matter the whole of UK.
Some places are more unspoiled, especially more rural places with no gas or mains plumbing {Septic tanks} but these are often in very expensive areas.

He sounds insecure and silly, @Hotflushesandchilblains - As an old Nanny said

''Once is funny, TWICE is silly'.

Just say that to him with an eye~roll.