I need a sense of humour?

[PinkPonyClubb]

I was in M&S today. Approached the lift with my pram, pressed the button and began moving backwards, as I was moving backwards the lift opened. I continued moving backwards and apologised to the elderly woman standing in the door way of the lift. The lady did not look impressed and had a very harsh and quite abrupt tone throughout the following exchange, her tone remained the same. This is how the conversation went…

Me “Sorry”
Her “Have you got X-ray vision?”
Me “Pardon?”
Her “Have you got X-ray vision?”
Me “No, I must have approached the lift pressed the button at the same time as you arrived, that’s why I said sorry.”
Her “You have not got X-ray vision and I have not get X-ray vision. We didn’t need sorry. Get a sense of humour.”

I walked away very confused?! I don’t get what she means. AIBU to think this was all a bit strange or have I missed the point? I can’t stop thinking about how odd this was!

It sounds like a friendly way of saying "Don't worry about it" up until the last sentence, which is a bit pass agg.

I wouldn't really classify the situation as needing a sense of humour, either; more a sense of proportion and of what does and doesn't really matter... but humour?!

Stop saying sorry! She is funny, sounds like an Irish granny, you are just weird 🤣

She's telling you you had nothing to apologise for. Neither you nor she have x ray vision to enable you to see through a closed lift door that the other was there, so the fact you were in each others way was no one's fault, so not apology worthy. It was clumsily phrased and not clear, but I think you were predisposed to assume she was being rude because she's an 'elderly lady' with a facial expression you read as 'unimpressed', and you assume she will be a stereotype if a rude intolerant older woman.

Absolutely not, I have a toddler and a baby I do not have time to analyse others and make assumptions. I began observing her body language and tone because I was genuinely perplexed by her asking me, twice, if I had x-ray vision. Then when she told me to get a sense of humour I was even more confused as her demeanour and tone did not match her actions.

This post is purely based on my utter confusion not judgment.

When you get a bit older you realise that women constantly say sorry for just taking up space. In a clumsy way, she was pointing this out. Women naturally de-escalate every situation. It wouldn't do our grand/daughters any harm if we stopped it. Women are the biggest consumers, especially those with children. Men should be the ones moving out of our space and apologising, although they are getting better.

Not an unkind comment. A realistic comment. I come across many elderly people on a daily basis who I often think have a touch. Or more than a touch and can actually be rather rude or inappropriate. It can also present as a sharpness. Not realising that the woman wasn't understanding and then continuing on the same line again and again is what is described by the op. It lacks the social awareness that your joke has missed the mark. It's important to recognise it as sometimes you have to make allowances for people like this when they are rude, act slightly oddly or lack filter. I understood the exchange. How it was conducted was typical of an older person in the early stages. I'm sorry if you were offended by this, seems to have struck close to home. Have a nice evening.

She's saying don't be sorry, you can't have known I was there (since you don't have x ray vision)
Bit of a weird way to say it, though.

Maybe she's got a thing about people that say sorry for no reason. It can feel a insincere when it's not warranted. I'd have said sorry in that situation too but I'm an over- apologiser

Ah, you bumped into Mad Mandy from This Country, bad luck 😕

YANBU. That just sounds strange on her end, and I speak as someone with a weird sense of humour that people don’t always get.