What would you say? I was stumped!

[Whattosay1]

New guy started at work…conversation went like this.
set the scene, he had just mentioned to a co worker that his wife hates eggs so he can’t make them at home so he was happy he could get them in the canteen.
me- ah where does your wife work, I hope they don’t serve eggs there (joking)
him- (laughing)oh she doesn’t work…she’s at home preparing for the baby.
me- oh how lovely. Congratulations’ when is baby due?
him- well she’s not actually pregnant yet…we’re just trying.
me- oh…ok.

other colleagues were very confused…as was I…is this normal? 😆

Perhaps he's embarrassed to say she doesn't work because people are very judgy about that now

It's not usual, but I know people who have done it when they are struggling to conceive, in the hope that less stress will help.

Presumably fertility treatment.

Well, that is an unusual situation, to be at home doing nothing, unless there was a medical reason for her not working.

Tbh I think it's quite strange you turned his comment about his wife not liking eggs into a question about where does she work.
Considering you said he was laughing when he made his comment about her not working and preparing for the baby I would take it with a pinch of salt anyway.
I certainly wouldn't give it head space.

I packed in work while we were TTC. We did IUI treatment and the hormone injections/emotions were way to much to maintain my workload and each month totally crushed when it hadnt worked.. I also worked with young families who, along with my lovely colleagues, seemed to be continually having babies and although I was genuinely happy for tge individual it would literally break my heart.
Its no ones issue but theirs.

I literally would just have said ‘lovely’ and given it no further thought. I assume you hate your job?

Yeah that's my guess.

That would be my assumption. You put him on the spot and he just came out with any old shite - I probably would have said something stupid in his position!

No I love my job, what’s that got to do with anything.
I never considered fertility treatments…thank you all.

Some people are lazy.
And some of those have others that can indulge their sloth.
It was ever thus.

It does seem a bit odd to ask, in your very first conversation with him, where his wife works. I wouldn't have asked that, and just agreed that it was great he can get eggs in the canteen.

Yeah maybe…it just felt ok to ask. Maybe not then…

It’s not your place to have “considered” anything. They don’t owe you an explanation. You are judgey, think too highly of yourself and need to mind your own business.

I think it’s fine to ask where his wife works.

He is probably just embarrassed to say she is unemployed and they’re likely trying for a baby.

This conversation would have come up sooner or later and so it’s good to know that she doesn’t work incase there are any conversations about it in the future.

Why on earth did you ask where his wife works because she hates eggs? Now, that's confusing.

What an ugly thing to say.

This. Whenever there’s a work thread it’s awash with ‘I can’t believe you said that!’ about the most mundane things.

Maybe she is wealthy. Maybe she lots her job. Maybe they are trying to conceive. You don’t have to work if you can afford not to.

What on earth are you on about?

My SIL quit her job a month before she got married in the late eighties and hasn’t worked since. Her children are now aged between 27 and 34, and have long left home. I find it baffling. They don’t have much money. Her husband had to give up a very physical job when his body aged out of it. She’s clever, but bone lazy.

Odd comment !!!

It was a joke
Lighten up

@pikkumyy77
Why?

Sloth is a mortal sin, according to Christianity which is ostensibly the moral code for millions.

And even without being a Christian one can hold a bad view of it.

I did that! We were moving countries and were starting to think about a baby so we didn’t plan for me to look for work.
At the end it took 4y for us to conceive - I went back to work after 2. But I really enjoyed these 2 years!