Foot in mouth situation

[disneydee6]

I was thinking the other day about a time when I did this so badly.

I was working at a local store a few years ago and a man walked in. I, jokingly, said to my co-worker, "hey, check out the mullet on billy ray over there." She turns to me and says, "Um, that's my Dad."

There was just no recovering from that.

Anyone else? Or am I the only jerk? lol

 

[sonnyjane]

I was thinking the other day about a time when I did this so badly.

I was working at a local store a few years ago and a man walked in. I, jokingly, said to my co-worker, "hey, check out the mullet on billy ray over there." She turns to me and says, "Um, that's my Dad."

There was just no recovering from that.

Anyone else? Or am I the only jerk? lol

Oh man. It's not MY story but it's a REALLLLY bad one that my former co-worker said!

A couple came up to my co-worker and I asking us some questions about good places to visit while they were in town for a few days. Long story short, it came out that the man's wife was dying and only had a few months left, so they were traveling the country seeing all the places she wanted before she passed. It was sad but they were very nice and friendly. After giving him a few suggestions for how to spend their next 3 or 4 days in town, the man and wife thanked us and my co-worker says "You're welcome! Enjoy the time you have left!" He MEANT in town but.... Ehhhhhh... so uncomfortable

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I went to high school in a small town. Everyone knew each other so it was kind of hard to make friends. One day I was sitting outside at lunch with a girl that I was just getting friendly with, and I saw a couple of boys walking past. I said "Oh, that guy in the blue T-shirt is such an idiot. He's in my Chemistry class and he gives the dumbest answers whenever the teacher asks a question."

She looked at me coldly and said: "He's my cousin."

Trying to recover, I said "Oh, I meant the guy in the brown shirt, not the guy in the blue shirt."

She looked even less friendly and said: "He's my brother."

I learned quickly never to say anything bad about anyone because every person in that town was related to everybody else.

TP

 

[Luv Bunnies]

This happened when I was 17 and working at McDonald's (a long, long time ago). I was working register during a breakfast shift. It was slow, and if you didn't have a customer you would help other cashiers fill their orders. My friend was taking an order from a man who had a pretty bad stutter. I was standing next to her, ready to grab items to fill the order. We both waited patiently and let the man order, not trying to finish his sentences. The last thing he ordered was a cheese Danish, and he said, "I'd also like a cheese d-d-d-d-Danish." It was customary to tell the cashier you were helping what part of their order you were going to get so they could get the other items. So I turned to my friend to tell her and what should pop out of my mouth? I said, "I'll get your d-d-d-Danish." I was immediately mortified! My friend looked at me in disbelief. The pattern must have been in my head and it just came out. I never meant to mimic the man's speech, nor would I ever do that consciously. It just happened. I couldn't even look at the customer. I ran into the back area, heated the Danish, and passed it over the counter to my friend, and hid until the poor guy had left with his order. I could not believe what I said! I even recall wanting to go home at that point and bury my head. Ugh!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Was working an ice cream stand at 16 at Six Flags when I noticed this GORGEOUS girl sweeping up cigarette butts and other trash. She was getting every little scrap, so as an excuse to talk to her I said, "Hey, there's a speck over there!"

She walked over and said, "What did you just say!?". It was then I noticed her name tag. "Angie Speck". For her, it was not love at first sight.


We did manage to have a few laughs about it over the Summer. Years later, I bumped into her at Community College and she remembered that incident

 

[Diznotyzed]

While working at a Disney Store, it was busy and as I was cashiering I was kinda on auto pilot. The next guests in line were a man and a woman and as they approached the counter I piped up with "Hello Ladies!". Oops. The guy just laughed and teased me just a little about it.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Me, talking to my son about one of his friends: "So-and-so's boyfriend looks kind of like a girl."

Son: "Dad, that is a girl."

(Note: She was dating a boy 6 months earlier...).

 

[kkandaj]

I'm pretty good as putting my foot in my mouth. Probably the worst was:

I was talking to my Uncle (that is now divorced from the family) and his brother at my cousin's wedding. I was trying to figure out whose daughter one of my cousin's cousin was--so said "Oh, Jessica must belong to you!" to my uncle's brother. My uncle and his brother both look at me and say "No, that is Ann's daughter."

As soon as they said that I felt like a total baffoon! Ann was my uncle's sister that committed suicide the year before. Yep--I felt pretty awesome.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

Not my example, but that of a coworker. There is a man and woman that come to our place of employment on a fairly regular basis. Always together. On one occasion, years ago, just the woman came in. My coworker asked here where her dad was today. The woman looked at my coworker oddly and said, "he's my husband." The man is probably in his mid to late 70s and the woman probably in her late 50s/early 60s. They both have a GREAT sense of humor, thankfully. And they've also never let my coworker live this down. Whenever they come in, she's sure to say, "I've got 'dad' with me today." My coworker is still totally mortified...

 

[marthachick]

I'm terrible about this! Several years ago, I was working at a drug store. One year on Valentine's Day, a guy came in to buy a card for his wife. He knew the other girl working there and was talking and joking with her. She said "Your wife was in here earlier today." I laughed and said, 'yes, she bought 2 cards, one for you and one for her boyfriend.' I was joking. I noticed he kind of stammered and left real quick after that. As soon as the door shut behind him, the other girl said 'LISA!!!! His wife is running around on him and her knows it!!!!' Yeah, I was ready to die.

 

[crazymama]

Weeeell… lasat night I was going through the till at Walmart buying Easter treats for my three kids when the clerk looked at me and said "Oh… buying Easter candy for the three grandkids I see." So then I proceeded to say "No… my three KIDS." Then she shoves her foot even deeper and says "Oh well then they must be older then." Now granted… they are teenagers and yes I could be a grandma by now technically but it just made my lousy day seem lousier for some reason.

 

[sonnyjane]

Weeeell… lasat night I was going through the till at Walmart buying Easter treats for my three kids when the clerk looked at me and said "Oh… buying Easter candy for the three grandkids I see." So then I proceeded to say "No… my three KIDS." Then she shoves her foot even deeper and says "Oh well then they must be older then." Now granted… they are teenagers and yes I could be a grandma by now technically but it just made my lousy day seem lousier for some reason.

Hahaha once at the grocery store I was buying a bottle of vodka (among all my other groceries mind you) and the guy ringing me up scans the vodka and says, "I'm surprised. I always thought you looked like a nice girl." When did it become ok to interject commentary at the checkout counter??

 

[mrsv98]

Not mine but happened to us.

My dear Gram died last week and the last four days before she died we were sitting with her. Hospice was there (in the assisted living home where she lived) and the Caretakers from the home also popped in and out, they were all wonderful.

So the third day, Gram's main caretaker came in to see us and ask if we needed something. We were all sitting round chatting, holding Gram's hand and just being together. She said hello and asked how we were, my Uncle said we are ok, how are you. She said, "Well, I am still breathing"...the look of horror that spread over her face was priceless! She didn't mean anything by it, just said it without thinking and was then absolutely horrified.

Poor girl, I don't think we saw her again the rest of the time we were there. Suffice it to say, we were not offended at all but I am sure she would take it back in a heartbeat.

 

[DWGal210]

Hahaha once at the grocery store I was buying a bottle of vodka (among all my other groceries mind you) and the guy ringing me up scans the vodka and says, "I'm surprised. I always thought you looked like a nice girl." When did it become ok to interject commentary at the checkout counter??

I know it - when did it become ok?? I had a clerk at the grocery store say, as she was scanning my items, "You don't cook much, do you?" I bought a lot of pre-made / convenience items that trip so I guess it looked like I didn't cook. I wasn't offended but I thought it was just an odd thing to say to someone.

 

[Geoff_M]

My biggest "want to crawl under a rock and die" moment was many years ago when at the lunch table at work I was recounting a Richard Pryor routine where he wonders why it is that you never hear any non-English speakers stutter. I then repeated Pryor's attempt to demonstrate what stuttering would sound like in Chinese... and as I'm doing this, I suddenly remember that one of my co-workers at the table had a pretty severe stuttering issue. Afterwards, I went to him and personally apologized. Much to my relief, he said "Don't worry about it."

 

[paintnolish]

Dh and I were in a restaurant, chatting with our very sweet server. We were talking about something that was helpful (I don't remember what: dh and I have both served, so it was something along the lines of what makes the job easier. I said, " Oh, that must be handy!"

Then I noticed that one of her hands was very small and deformed. I wanted to crawl under the table. Of all of the words I could've chosen! I doubt she even noticed it, but I felt like an idiot.

 

[WDWJDS]

Not me, but coworker. While talking to a few coworkers about which beach she likes, she states "I don't like so-and-so beach because there are too many Puerto Ricans there". Another coworker in the conversation states "You do realize that I'm Puerto Rican right?" Foot In Mouth coworker replies with "No, I didn't mean that. I just meant it's really dirty!" Hmmmm, not much better.

 

[jen73]

I was thinking the other day about a time when I did this so badly.

I was working at a local store a few years ago and a man walked in. I, jokingly, said to my co-worker, "hey, check out the mullet on billy ray over there." She turns to me and says, "Um, that's my Dad."

There was just no recovering from that.

Anyone else? Or am I the only jerk? lol

OMG, OMG, OMG...this made me laugh literally out loud....I am so sorry that happened to you but it's freaking funny...thanks for sharing...lol

 

[JeanetteK]

When DH and I were dating, he took me to meet his parents. First time meeting my future in-laws. We were talking and they asked where I worked/what I did. Told them I worked at a law office as the admin assistant to three attorneys. FIL made a comment about attorneys being boring or something and I said, well if you think attorneys are boring, I used to work with accountants and they're even bigger sticks in the mud. Everyone cracked up (except my FIL) and I said - what's so funny. My DH told me that FIL is an accountant.

Now he told me that before I met them (like a month or more before I met them), but I totally didn't remember.

I thought, oh boy - way to make a first impression by insulting your FIL!

 

[jdb in AZ]

My nephew painted black flames on his silver PT Cruiser. He later sold the car to his parents and bought a van for his growing family. One day a relative on the other side of the family saw the Cruiser and took a picture with his cell phone, and sent it to my nephew with a text message saying how hideous the flames looked, and "can you believe someone would do that to their car?" The nephew told him, "That's my parents' car, and I painted the flames." oops.