My biggest blunder

Posted: Mar. 5, 2009

What is your biggest blunder? What is your favorite faux pas? What incredibly awkward moment made you want to crawl under a rock and hide? I’ve had many. You may remember after my dog Sparky died, Mike Maze kidded me on the air about my dog’s sometimes snarling disposition. Mike wasn’t aware that Sparky had passed and I finally had to tell him: “Mike, Sparky is dead.” I felt badly for Mike and myself. I could feel the beads of sweat starting to form at the top of my forehead. Mike broke into nervous laughter. What else could he do?

Tomorrow I will share my worst social blunder. Today, I would like to hear your stories. I will give a copy of my book Blue Ridge Reunion to the person with the most unusual faux pas.

Maybe it was the time you asked a young woman: “When is the baby due?” She may have replied: “What baby? I’m not pregnant.”

In high school my team played basketball against the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton. The NCSD Bears had a rugged power forward who was elbowing me around the basket but not getting called for fouls. Finally, in frustration but with total innocence I confronted my opponent by saying: “Now, hear me loud and clear! I’m not going to take this anymore!” I immediately realized what I had said and felt awful for the next two weeks.

Can you top that? What is your worst social blunder?

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When I was in eighth grade, I had to go to summer school to retake an algebra class. I didn't like algebra at all, was mad I had to be in school during the summer and never connected with my teacher. I was sounding off in the front yard of the school about my teacher and how I couldn't stand her, etc., etc., etc., when she walked by our group. I didn't see her until it was too late; she looked at me during my tirade and simply said, "I'm sorry". Well, I felt like a dog. I've been out of school several decades, now and I still remember that sinking feeling when Ms. Cartwright walked by and put me in my place.

2thebeach
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
March 5, 2009 9:47 a.m.

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Oh boy do I have one!

After me and my husband divorced he came to get the kids Christmas morning, not AWARE of his new girlfriend being with him, so I was totally off gaurd. I went to the car with the kids and shouted, "Happy Easter". To this day I still get Easter cards at Christmas from my sister.I crawled under a rock that day for sure!!! I bet the new girlfriend was thinking to herself, "No wonder he left you, you idiot!"...LOL

bethjones29
March 5, 2009 9:48 a.m.

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These are good!

bleslie
GOLO member since July 10, 2007
March 5, 2009 10:22 a.m.

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I was the receptionist at a business in Raleigh. One of our associates had been killed in a car wreck while on vacation.About two weeks after the accident someone called and ask for Jeff -----, not the one that had been killed but someone else that had the same first name, Well I paged the one that had passed away. I realized what I had done when several people came to me and said, If He answers let me know.I was so shaken up I didn't want to answer the phone anymore. Guess what it happened again a while later. Duh.

Bull City Girl
GOLO member since July 12, 2007
March 5, 2009 10:32 a.m.

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One time I was leading a Bible Study at our church, and the adult students were gathered around a table. I pace and talk when I teach, so I asked a question and then started to walk around the table. I stopped behind my wife and leaned my chin on the top of her head, wrapping my arms loosely around her neck and shoulders, waiting for an answer. People got quiet and some broke out in big grins. I wasn't sure why until I glanced to the left. There, sitting three seats away, was my wife. I was leaning on another woman who, to my chagrin, had the same hair color and height as my wife! I turned a dozen shades of red and everyone burst out in gales of laughter!

Celt
GOLO member since September 19, 2007
March 5, 2009 11:02 a.m.

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One of my biggest blunders occurred as a new teacher. The entire school was in the gym for a program. My class was performing with the music teacher and I was leaning against the wall behind them. Someone was videotaping the performance and I slid down the wall so I wouldn't be in the picture. I forgot the light switch was behind so I put the whole gym in the dark. The worst part was that the lights are the kind that take forever to come back on. I was humiliated. Since then they have put covers over the light switches.

Glomae
GOLO member since July 13, 2007
March 5, 2009 12:09 p.m.

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I was getting ready for high school and was putting on my make up. I decided to use a new eyelash curler I had just purchased. Apparenly I squeezed too hard and pinched my eye lid. My response was a jerking motion. I had just jerked every eyelash out of my right eye except one. I was a bus driver so I had to go to school that morning. I had just started dating the guy of my dreams a week earlier. I made it through the day with my hair pulled forward and looking at the ground. That night I purchased a pair of false eyelashes. The next morning it was pouring rain and someone had locked the front door of my bus. I had no choice but to climb in through the rear exit door. I was soaking wet. When I arrived at school, my boyfriend came up to me, he kept staring at me. Finally, he asked me if I was wearing false eyelashes. I looked in the mirror and to my horror eyelash glue is not waterproof. The lash was sticking out like the horn of a unicorn. He asked I was born that way?

NCpetalpusher
GOLO member since May 30, 2009
March 5, 2009 12:30 p.m.

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When I was in Jr. High, I volunteered to help serve the teachers during a retirement dinner. The teachers enjoyed a nice meal seated at several long banquest tables. One of the teachers needed more tea, and I had the pitcher. As I poured the tea into her glass, a bunch of ice from the pitcher fell right into her lap! We were both very embarrassed, and I apologized profusely. I volunteered to wash dishes for the remainder of the dinner so that I wouldn't have to come out of the kitchen. Every time I pour from a pitcher at a restaurant, I think about that incident!

newsgirl
March 5, 2009 12:35 p.m.

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When I was a junior in high school, my school choir went to Charlotte for a choir competition. We got to the school where the competition was held, checked in and I decided I needed to visit the ladies room before we sang. Well, I was nervous anyway and after being told to hurry by my teacher, I hurried down the hallway and straight into the wrong restroom. I didn't see anything but a boy washing his hands (thankfully!!) but when I got back into the hallway, there was a teacher from my school who was traveling with us to help on the trip walking down the hallway. To this day (Junior year in high school was over 20 years ago now) when I am in public I am overly careful about making sure that I walk into the correct restroom!!

sassycat8
March 5, 2009 12:55 p.m.

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I did this about a month ago. My husband hangs out at the local country store and this particular morning I didnt have to work but drove my truck over to the store to pick him up and go to town. He usually wears a work jacket and jeans,like the rest of the working guys and farmers there. He and I had paid at the counter and unknowningly to me he had slipped down one of the aisle to talk to someone. I had this guy, his height and with a work jacket and hat like his on there at my right side with his back to me. I laid my hand,luckly,on his back and said "Come on there dear,you can come back later and play with your friends!" When the guy turned around, I could have crawled in the cracks in the floor! It was one of the local farmers and he was grinning from ear to ear! I was SO embarrassed and my husband had witnessed it all and was about to roll in the floor laughing!!! I apologized but now when I see this guy at the store or on the highway, he always smiles and waves!! And I turn red!

fishnett5977
March 5, 2009 12:57 p.m.

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My biggest blunder

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