I was reading a thread about the "Star Wars Kid" and wondered why he can't laugh along with people about it. I know he's only 15, but hey, it's something he's going to have to learn to succeed in life. We've all been embarrassed (albeit probably not in front of millions of internet viewers) at one time or another. Anyway, here's just one "foot in mouth" moment that happened to me. Feel free to share yours
I had been a police for four years at the time, in a very bad area of town here in Florida. I was on the midnight shift for all four of my first years as an officer. I finally had enough seniority to bid for the day shift and was looking forward to seeing normal people during the daytime instead of the constant stream of drug dealers, gangbangers, and other assorted scumbags that come out at night. I got assigned to patrol the business district, and decided I'd be officer friendly and stop into a few of the businesses to let them know I was patrolling their area, and introduce myself.
My first stop was an auto-body shop. I walked in the office door and was met by a very attractive receptionist. We struck up a conversation and I was quite proud of myself at how quickly I had removed her reservations about having a normal conversation with a police officer. I find that people are somewhat aloof when you're in uniform, and have difficulty accepting you as just a normal person who happens to be a cop. So I felt good that she had begun laughing and talking with me so quickly.
I looked around the office, and it was a typical mechanic's shop type atmosphere. Calendars with girls in bikinis hanging on the wall, etc... She noticed me looking at one of the calendars and said "do you like that one?". Trying to be humorous, I told her "well, there's worse things on the eyes than a bunch of girls in bikinis". She laughed, took the calendar off the wall, handed it to me, and said "look at the July girl". I found the month of July and low and behold, it was her! What a body too! I was recently divorced, so now I'm thinking hey, we're getting along great, this has some potential for a date!
After giving her some flattering comments on her figure, etc... I began looking at a few of the other girls in the calendar. Then it happened... There was a girl (I forget which month it was) who was just plain hideous. I'm talking overweight, with absolutely no business wearing a bikini. Her face could scare buzzards off a manure wagon. You get the picture...
Me, being the type that pretty much says what's on my mind, made the comment: "Who in the hell would put a girl like this in a bikini calendar. Good God she's ugly!". The receptionist then stands up and says "HEY!!!!!!!! THAT'S MY SISTER!"
I mean what are the odds???? Apparently, the owner of the shop had this calandar made up using girls he knew.
Having absolutely no way to bail myself out, I just walked out of the shop, got in my car, and drove off. It was pretty embarrassing.