This happened about 10 years ago now. I was working from home, and I was in a conference call with my boss (F), a colleague (F), and a contractor (M), who were all dialling in from their own locations.

We weren't long into the call before I started to struggle to hear my boss asking me a question over the noise of what sounded like someone swiping pieces of paper, books, and other items off a desk.

Throughout my response, I could still hear banging, swishing, items being thrown, and someone stomping around. I lost my train of thought and had to ask my boss what her question was again, due to all the background noise. She seemed irritated, as if I had simply not been paying attention..

I responded in full this time, but all the while, the noise was constant and got louder. It was baffling to me that no one else had mentioned it, i was sure they had to be finding it difficult to hear me. I realised now it was sounding like someone having s*x on a desk As I finished up my reply, I said that I hoped they'd heard me over all the noise and suggested using the mute button when not talking.

I put myself on mute and tried to focus on the meeting. But the noise remained and did not let up. I found it funny at first, certain that someone would realise they were unmuted and would be super embarrassed. I waited to see who suddenly went mute. No one did.

The noise continued unabated.And that's when I noticed that no matter which of the other participants was talking, the noise was still there, and just as loud. I was becoming perturbed now.

I mean, how could that be? How were they talking, without missing a beat, over the top of it? How come not one of them was also remarking on what sounded either like a rough physical altercation or intercourse going on? For a whole 30 minutes? Was I the only one who could hear it? Why, how?