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I think I have offended her

(55 Posts)
eebeew Tue 02-Oct-18 09:33:02

Recently I joined a small local group of women. After the first meeting a few of us went across the road and had lunch together which I very much enjoyed. I’m trying to make friends as I have recently moved to a new town so this was very welcome.
But today while at the supermarket one of the women cut me dead. I know she recognised me as she said hello but moved on fast. I am very upset as I do not know why or what I can have said that has offended her. I don’t know her surname or where she lives so I can’t go and ask her. I think I know where she volunteers but it seems wrong to confront her there. The next group meeting is not for 4 weeks. I just can’t stop ruminating about it and trying to work out what to do.
Any ideas?

Yellowmellow Fri 05-Oct-18 10:53:40

Some people are just plain rude. I have a neighbour who nearly breaks her neck to say 'hello', or wave if she sees me one day, and another day she will walk past as if she hasn't seen you, and actually puts her head down. I'm not the only one who she does it too, so no offence taken. Weird people or what x Don't stress yourself on people like this, just be pleasant and concentrate on the people who are worth your time and care about you back. xx

Magrithea Fri 05-Oct-18 09:53:35

If she said hello she didn't cut you dead! Stop worrying, as another poster said she probably couldn't place you and didn't want to feel awkward if stopping to chat! Not everyone wants a chat in supermarket aisles. Go to your next get together and get to know the group more, it will help you all

Nannarose Thu 04-Oct-18 07:32:59

" I belong to a group of women who meet for lunch. At our last meeting I sat next to a lovely newcomer and we had a nice chat. Yesterday I was doing my supermarket shopping, partly on auto-pilot, partly anxious I had left enough time to get to my dental appointment. I said 'hello' to someone I recognised, but hadn't clue who she was. It was while I was in the dentist's chair that I suddenly remembered it was the new lady! I hope I haven't offended her!"

I reckon it's worth giving her a free pass on this occasion.

Elrel Thu 04-Oct-18 00:26:55

Someone had offered to help me with organising an event and let me down. I decided I'd avoid her in future. Rushing into a crowded hall I was warmly greeted by a smiling woman and responded similarly. Then I moved on and suddenly realised that the unreliable 'helper' had changed her hair colour ...
I guess we'll be ok in future but I'll never accept or expect any help from her!

BlueBelle Wed 03-Oct-18 17:41:05

Dorcas I did that too a lady stopped to say hello in the street she asked how I was keeping I reiterated then she asked how my mum was we talked for about 5 mins to this day I have not a clue who she was
The very worst one was a lady saying hello to me and I said hello back and she said you don’t regicnise me do you and I said I m so sorry I don’t she said it’s Txxxx I said I m so sorry but that means nothing to me she then to,d me I was her next door neighbour about twenty years ago I still can only vaguely recall her but would never have known her in a million years

Katekeeprunning Wed 03-Oct-18 16:54:33

I bet she knew she knew you, but not where from. I find it so embarrassing when that happens me

pixie601 Wed 03-Oct-18 16:30:15

I suggest you stop looking for offence when none was intended. Good luck with meeting new people and making friends.

Greatview Wed 03-Oct-18 16:08:01

After having a bonhomie, how are you, long time no see, catch up with you next time conversation with a chap in the High Street, my Dad , in answer to the question "who was that?' told me he thought it was a fella he knew from the municipal golf club. That night A Man For All Seasons was showing on the TV, and there he was, the fella from the golf club, Paul Schofield.....ever downbeat my Dad simply said "I knew I knew him from somewhere"

Greciangirl Wed 03-Oct-18 14:56:37

Yes, she said hello. What more do you want.
She hardly knows you, so give her more time.
She might have been in a hurry.

Pat1949 Wed 03-Oct-18 14:33:46

If you can’t think of what you’ve said to upset her you probably haven’t. She may have been in a rush. I wouldn’t confront her at all or this could cause offence. Just go and enjoy your next meeting, sometimes it takes a littlewhile to break into a group, but little by little and you’ll get there in the end.

Jaxie Wed 03-Oct-18 14:27:04

Don't worry about it. I moved to a new town and found it quite difficult to make new friends as various societies I joined seemed cliquish and unfriendly. Through joining U3A I have met some great women, but it takes time for them to get to know you; you can't push it. If you are a good person then others will recognise this.

EmilyHarburn Wed 03-Oct-18 13:25:48

Carry on as normal. You are lucky she recognised you after only one occasion. She may well not have had time to pass the time of day but did say hello. Stick with the positive.

kircubbin2000 Wed 03-Oct-18 13:01:54

I've just been very friendly to a man I saw in the church hall. I rushed up all smiles and asked what are you doing here I didn't expect to see you here.Thought it was my cousin but a lookalike!

MawBroon Wed 03-Oct-18 12:53:08

At the Wake in our village pub after Paw’s funeral there were some people I had not seen for many years (and did not immediately recognise) and some I did not even know. However, I pinned a smile on my face and if really unsure asked when they had last seen him or something similar.
One couple I approached looked blank and said they had only come in for a drink.
Now, if you were sitting in a pub and 80+ people came in mostly wearing black, would you not sup up and make a sharp exit? gringrin(They continued to sit there too!)

Tillybelle Wed 03-Oct-18 12:52:41

I said "remind me whether they are"?? Should be who of course!! Sorry!

Tillybelle Wed 03-Oct-18 12:50:30

blue60 wisest words;

trynot to see more in it.

deec Wed 03-Oct-18 12:47:23

Before I had glasses prescribed all the staff where I worked thought I was permanently angry and hesitated to approach me! In fact I was squinting to see who was coming towards me and this apparently made me look cross! Now that I have glasses I am perceived to be much friendlier....it is easy for misunderstandings to arise!

Tillybelle Wed 03-Oct-18 12:45:21

eebeew Poor you!! I am with just about everyone here. I am sure there is an innocent explanation. Please do not torture yourself with worry about why this happened. It is so easy to worry about what we may have done when there is no reason at all to feel that way, especially when you have only just moved to a new area and are trying to make friends.

Listen to the comments here and understand that there may any of 100s of reasons why the lady did not acknowledge you, none of which reflect upon you.

Until I studied a Psychology degree in my 40s, I did not realise that face recognition varied from one person to another. I have always been ashamed of and kept quiet about my poor face recognition. It's called 'Prosopagnosia' and is typified at its worst in Sach's book "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat"! It was always a terrible thing for me because people usually say, proudly, "I never forget a face." Now, I ask people to say hello and remind me whether are. You see, some of us do find it hard to place people, not with any deliberate intent, indeed, it is a kind of face-dyslexia. It terrifies me when I can't place a face of someone I am aware know but that I don't remember any more. I would never deliberately hurt anyone. There is the possibility she recognised you in terms of feeling she knew you, but had the inward panic, with which I am familiar, of having no memory of from whence she knew you. Sadly too, she may have an early onset of dementia, where face recognition remains but knowing who the person actually is goes, along with remembering names (another thing I am plagued by) and she panicked. Because of my deficits I feel for her and for you.

I do hope you meet again. I would treat her as if you both had been in such a hurry that day and say something like "So sorry I couldn't stop to chat in the supermarket, I hope you didn't mind." then see how she responds to you.

Wishing you lots of happiness in your new home. I think moving gives such a boost to your life. ?

123kitty Wed 03-Oct-18 12:20:21

Cutting you dead really means not even saying hello, don't make a fuss and definitely don't mention this to other members of the group.

dorcas1950 Wed 03-Oct-18 12:19:23

I was greeted by a woman on horseback who called out to me and we chatted for a good few minutes. I responded to her enquiries after my family and enquired about hers in turn. Had no idea then who she was then and I have no idea now. I still wonder!

inishowen Wed 03-Oct-18 12:15:29

I often see people out of context and can't think where i know them from. In that case I'll smile, say hi and move on. I bumped into a woman in Tesco recently and stopped to speak. She looked blank and I said "pilates". She apologised at not remembering how she knew me. It happens to us all.

Grandmablue Wed 03-Oct-18 12:12:07

I did this at a supermarket too, I had sold my beloved Motorhome to a lady. A few weeks later I saw this lady staring at me, I happily smiled and waved, said hi. It was hours after I placed her and was dreadfully upset because it really would have looked like I had dismissed her. ... I do hope I see her again soon.

JanaNana Wed 03-Oct-18 12:00:46

It's quite possible that as she had only met you once before and with a group of other women that she did,nt really know what else to say. She may be a shy person herself and can hold a conversion when there is a group of others to contribute but a one to with someone she barely knows could be a different matter. At this stage you have not really much in common with each other except the meal you went to. She did say hello, so I would,nt worry about it. Not everyone gels with everyone else at first meetings and some friendships take longer than others to develop. Maybe if you were to bump into her again in the same way before the next month's meeting you could suggest having a coffee together in the supermarket coffee shop to break the ice a bit more.

Lancslass1 Wed 03-Oct-18 11:49:56

I once said hello to a woman as I passed her in the street but couldn't for the life of me remember how I knew her.
She responded with a smile and a hello back.
I realised later that she had just served me in Boots and was probably going for her lunch.

blue60 Wed 03-Oct-18 11:49:44

Making new friendships can take time - try not to see more in it.

Jut remain happy and friendly.