Ever been mortified by something you said?

Don't feel bad, I think he must have misunderstood you, you were just being friendly!

No need to feel mortified by that, he just didn’t really understand you.
When I was a young Mum, living in Cornwall, I used to drive a few older ladies to church sometimes ( the church was just a walk for me, but they needed a car, so people took turns taking them.) I didn’t know them well, but just chatting, I said I had heard that a local man had dropped dead in the supermarket car park a couple ofweeks ago.
One of these ladies said quietly “yes, it was my husband”.
Naturally I apologised profusely, but she smiled and said, “
Don’t worry, you weren’t to know”.
I felt awful about it for ages.

I’m 61 now but am still mortified by something I said as a 19year old student nurse. There was a lovely lady admitted with arthritis and she had visitors one afternoon. I went up to her after visiting and said ‘oh aren’t you and your daughter alike’ and she replied ‘that’s my older sister’.She then pointed me out and told everyone who visited what I’d said. I’ve never forgetten how dreadful I felt and have never made any comment regarding age since!

The last time I went to the GN meet up in Edinburgh, I got chatting to an elderly gentleman waiting for the train. He told me he had travelled quite a distance and was going to a funeral. "Well, you have a great day", I said. Then I realised what I had said and apologised. "Oh, don't worry about it, I'm actually looking forward to it."

Far too many to recount

When I was a mum of teenagers, the husband of another local mum died quite unexpectedly. A number of us got together to help with making food for after the funeral. When I went round the deliver my contribution I was a bit nervous and very anxious not to say the wrong thing. So when my friend thanked me profusely and said how kind we’d all been I responded by saying “you’re welcome, we’re only trying to kill you with kindness”. I wished that the ground would swallow me up but we just hugged each other helpless with a mixture of laughter and tears.

Soooooo many!!!!!

Don’t worry Sazz1066 someone once thought by best friend was my daughter.

When I was working in reception at a hospital, a tall figure, over six feet, approached the desk. I said "How can I help you sir?". And they replied "I'm a madam." From then on I always kept my glasses on.

A dd used to refer to a certain male friend as Little X - he was on the short side - to distinguish him from rather taller X.

I once answered the phone to him, and when he said he was X, I said, 'Oh, is that little X?'
Could have bitten my tongue out since I'm sure he must have hated it. Ages ago but I still feel bad about it.

In the 1970s my next-door neighbours moved and I was invited to see their new house. Determined to admire everything I commented on the array of Sanderson wallpapers which decorated the hall , landing and bedrooms, only to be told they were being stripped as soon as possible as they were awful. We arrived in the dining room, papered with dark flock paper. 'Oh I bet you can't wait to get rid of this' I said. Silence, then: 'we have just finished decorating in here; it is the first room we have done.' I never was invited back.

When we married we moved into a flat rented to the police force. The kitchen was painted the brightest , most nauseating yellow. At the first police wives meeting a girl asked me if we had settled in, did I like the flat etc, I said love the flat but will be glad when we had painted over the yellow kitchen, she said I think it's a lovely colour, that is why I chose it .

I worked in the local bingo hall years ago and a new girl started. She said I think I know you from school don't I - I replied I hardly think so I'm only 21. She glared at me and said well so am I!! Mortified and wished the floor would open up and swallow me!!

I had to deliver a package once to my son's friend, Mike. He answered when I rang the door bell with a lady by his side, half behind him. I said brightly "Oh, you must be the Chinese girlfriend". (I had been told he had a Chinese girlfriend). "No", she replied frostily. I'm actually Mike's mother and I'm not Chinese.
She didn't seem at all amused.

Many many times. One I recall is when we were invited to DH's boss's house for dinner. I didn't know him and his wife very well and conversation was bit slow. I said that the aromas coming from the kitchen were lovely. So we were on the subject of food and I mentioned that we had a neighbour who cooked sprout tops. I blundered on with 'have you ever heard anything so ridiculous'. Our hostess said 'actually I'm serving those today'. I was mortified. I couldn't wait to get out of there. My excuse was that I was young and of course I now know that sprout tops are delicious.

When my children were young we had a number of ex-pat Japanese families living in our area and I befriended a couple of the mothers. My younger son became best friends with one little boy at nursery through to primary until they returned to Japan. Subsequently his mum and I became good pals. I remember asking her on a first meeting, where she came from in Japan and she told me Tokyo "oh so does so" said I, mother of one of my other son's friends, inanely followed with "did you know her there", my new friend then told me the population of Tokyo one of the world's most densely populated cities. I think delayed reaction in my foggy brain had kicked in by then, so I did reply with something along the lines of "I can't believe I just asked you such a stupid question". Anyway our friendship survived my idiocy and she managed to introduce my broccoli and indeed all green vegetable dodging child to the delights of edible seaweed when he went to their house which he embraced with relish, in spite of being a very picky eater at that stage of his life.

All the time. The number of times I think "Did those words actually just come out of my mouth?"

Frequently, I am along term member of the Institute of Dentopedologists (work it out!)

Oh me too. Frequently. I've heard it described as Mouth Moving Off Before Brain In Gear. And I've got into terrible pickles trying to undo my gaffs. So comforting to read all the above.

My little granddaughter upon seeing a very tall, black man getting off the Metro. Said "hello Rubens daddy" . The man looked bemused and said "Oh I think you are mistaken little girl, I'm not Rubens daddy at all"

in her mind... Ruben had dark skin, this man had dark skin, so it must be his daddy

I was mortified.

Quite recently someone at a group I go to said she was so excited that today she was getting her travel pass. The lady next to me said "Oh, you don't look old enough to be able to claim that". I opened mouth before engaging brain and said "But in London you're eligible for a travel pass when you're 60" - implying, of course, that she did look 60 (thinking about it afterwards, she probably doesn't look 60 but I'm hopeless with ages). The travel pass lady looked quite deflated and I felt so awful.

The receptionist in our holiday hotel came over to see if she could help us. Very kindly, I told her that she had a huge ink smudge on her cheek. 'It's a birthmark' she said!!

It's probably 20 years ago but my toes still curl up with embarrassment when I think about it.

Sazz1006 Your story reminded me of my sister who has been insulted twice. Once she was mistaken as our Mum's sister and the second time as my Mum (she's only 8 years older than me!)

Dentopedology = foot in mouth syndrome.