‘What is the most awkward thing you’ve ever accidentally said or done in a serious situation?’ – 23 scenarios that will have you cringing into next week
As blundering, useless humans we say and do things we regret on a regular basis, with little consequence. But have you ever put your foot in your mouth in a scenario that actually required immense tact and sensitivity? Over on Reddit, user lothos1103 asked:
What is the most awkward thing you’ve ever accidentally said or done in a serious situation?
And there were plenty of people who flubbed it at an inappropriate moment.
1.
‘My grandmother died, my mom was finishing up her cremation arrangements with the local funeral home when my dad died in a car accident two weeks later.
My mom calls up the funeral home, and her grief-stricken sick sense of humor forces her to ask if they have any two for one deals on cremation services.’
–SpectralCoding
2.
‘My husband, on the phone: “I’ve got really bad news, [friend] died this morning.”
Me: “But he wasn’t supposed to do that!”‘
–SofieTerleska
3.
‘An old couple was pushing around an obviously upset baby. I said that she probably misses her Mom. They then informed me that her parents died in a car accident a couple of days ago.’
–darthatheos
4.
‘Instead of saying ‘Enjoy!’ as I dropped off my table’s food, I said ‘Good luck!’ and have no clue why. It seemed so threatening and I just walked away.’
–TemptationUnlocked
5.
‘At my first big job interview, I was insanely nervous. The interviewer asked ‘How do you handle stress?’
And I suddenly let out a loud fart.’
–SampsonGoldsmith
6.
‘My first big interview im sitting there when two women walk in to start the interview. I stand up, shake their hands, and say ‘Looks like you two are going to tag-team me, huh?’. I immediately knew that wasn’t the right thing to say. They just laughed and moved on. Got the job, too!’
–frankysins
7.
‘I was interviewing at a chocolate factory, and asked where they keep the Oompa Loompas. I got a lecture about how they obey the Fair Labour Act, and treat their employees great so they don’t unionise. I did not get the job.’
–ooo-ooo-oooyea
8.
‘At a funeral, someone leaned over and whispered something kind to me during a quiet moment. I meant to say ‘yeah’ or ‘thank you,’ but somehow I combined the two and loudly said ‘YANK YOU!’. The whole room turned to stare, and I just wanted to crawl under a rock!’
–lothos1103
9.
‘I was young, and my mother pulled us kids aside to say ‘Your grandmother just had a round of chemo and lost all her hair. She’ll be wearing a wig – please do not make any comments about her hair,’ and I have trouble connecting thoughts together. Forgetting everything I was just told, she walked in the door, and I immediately said ‘Hi!! Wow, you got a haircut! It looks great!”
–Lothar_Ecklord
10.
‘I was in a finance-related meeting with my director and CEO. I suddenly had one of those sneezes that come out of nowhere with no warning. Didn’t have time to cover my mouth, and to make matters worse I shot out a loogie (ball of mucus/phlegm) right onto my CEO’s boob.
I wanted to die, but my CEO, cool as a cucumber took a tissue and gave it to me, while grabbing another and wiping my loogie off. She smiled at me and said ‘You don’t raise two kids without becoming desensitised to that stuff’. And continued like nothing happened.
My director on the other hand started tearing up and his temple vein was bulging. I could tell he was trying so goddamn hard not to burst out laughing.’
–lifesnotperfect
11.
‘I walked into my office, and a lady from HR was sitting in my chair. I said, ‘Well, looks like I’m going to have to sit in your lap’ and then she says, ‘Come on over. Giddy up!’ My face turned bright red. She left, I sat down, we never spoke of it again.’
–Myzx