Let's start with the most recent.....yes, I have a few of them!
The Bee and I went to the book store to have an over charge fixed from when we were in over the weekend. Since we were there I decided to look around a bit. As I was cruising the fiction section I heard a voice from over my shoulder. I turned around to find a very nice employee of the store smiling at me.
Nice Employee: Hi Mam, can I help you find anything?
Me: No thanks, just looking!
Nice Employee: Just hunt me down if you need anything!
Me: Thanks, I'll do that!
As this brief exchange of words went on I was sizing up "Nice Employee." Now, when we meet people we automatically resister the persons gender. You probably don't realize this until you are faced with uncertainty! At that moment I wasn't sure if I was talking with a man or a woman. So I sized "Nice Employee" up.
"Nice Employee" was wearing casual baggy young men's clothing, was a bit over weight, so there for looked kind of soft, had a buzz cut, was wearing a mans watch, and a was sporting a few earrings. Taking in all those clues and adding them up I decided I was talking to a woman who was a total Tomboy! I soon forgot about the quick "solve that gender" moment and continued shopping.
When the Bee and I finish up we headed to the front of the store to check out. I look up to see that "Nice Employee" was now at the register and waves us over. I set down what I want to purchase and then pull out the receipt from the other day. I explain that they charged us for the third book that was supposed to be free and "Nice Employee" happily agreed to give me a refund. Yeah for me!
As I reach into my purse for my credit card I realize that I had left my wallet in the car. So the Bee and I leave our stuff on the counter and quickly dash out to the car. When I got back a few minutes later, "Nice Employee" was helping another customer, and since I left "NE" with all my stuff I had to wait.
While I am patiently waiting another employee says, "I can help you over here," to which I reply......."Thanks but SHE is already helping me." Just then the other employee's gave a sideways glance towards "NE". Rut-row (actually insert swearing in my head)!
As soon as the words left my lips I wanted to SUCK them back in!!! After all, I had just assumed she was a woman! I was horrified at the thought that I might have just called this nice young man a chick in front of his co-workers.
My heart started pounding, my forehead started to sweat. "NE" on the other hand gave no indication that I had just totally insulted his masculinity. So as I desperately scanned "NE" for any signs of male parts, the phone rings. "NE" picks up the phone and all I can think is oh the luck......"NE" will say his or her name and the mystery will be solved.
Phone rings........"NE" picks up; "Hello, thanks for calling the Book Store this is TAYLOR how can I help you!" SERIOUSLY, couldn't you have a name like Candy or Thor?? Crap crap crap, Taylor is a name that both dudes and chicks use! UGH! I was so embarrassed and I couldn't wait to get out of there.
So I left the store feeling like a total heel and kicking myself for possibly insulting this very nice person. I mean really, what do you do in this situation? I could hardly say, "I'm sorry but can you show me your drivers license, so I can know if I need to feel bad or not." What a total dufus!
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The Rest of the story: I did end up finding out the true gender of the "Nice Employee". He was a she that was working towards becoming a he. So technically speaking, I was right on right on the money.......well, sort of?
Got a Mortifying moment? I know you do......let's hear all about it?
29 comments:
Oh My! You handled that as best as anyone. I have been in that situation before too. It's no offense toward that person, but sometimes you just wish things were more clear. I love your "Thor or Candy" line! Too funny!
Thanks for stopping by the other day. Have a great week!
OMGoodness... FUNY.. Remember that SNL skit with PAT--from way back when---- I totaally feel your pain! Thanks for playing! : ) O woøø get you all linked up!
LMAO!! The It's Pat comment above got me laughing again!
LOL ouch!! And were you thinking the whole time "I could SO blog about this!?"
I know I would have! ;)
Oh yikes! You know, if people want you to know their gender, it seems like they could. But still, you want to do the right thing...
I try not to remember my mortifying moments!
I'm sure that "NE" gets that alot, especially if he's transitioning.
I have transgender friends and usually they are used to that, especially if they're "in between". You handled it just fine.
Kudos to you for being conscientious enough to care! :)
Have a great day!
Oh. My. Gosh. I would have been mortified too! You handled it better than I would have. I was totally going to bring up Pat from SNL too. LOL, I've had a few of those moments in my life time!
OMg that is hilarious, I woulda done the say thing. Thankfully you were right on :)
This was hilarious. And I loved Pat from SNL. I had a boo boo like this once. Now I just say "I'm already being helped" and point them out. Didn't our parents teach us that was rude? Oh well, its better to point then to have insert foot in mouth syndrome.
Too funny! Gotta love those Pat moments!! We've all been there.
I have so done this, however it was on the phone I called he/she a "Maam" and he/she replied, Im a guy...I was so embarrassed, but thank goodness it was a phone call not in person...LOL
Too Funny!
BTW I love all your post, Im gonna have to do the photostory one!
I wouldn't feel too bad (although, I most likely would, really...lol) because I'm sure she/he is used to it by now....due to the 'change'.
Ohhh I have a moment...when I was in high school, I was student body president. I did the announcements and pledge over the p.a. system. Well, during the '30 seconds of silence'. I *thought* I had hung up the mic, but I didn't....I proceeded to talk about a guy I thought was totally cute. I went on and on about him totally clueless to the fact that the ENTIRE 3500 people could hear me. Teachers, students, the principal. Everyone. I was so baffled how everyone knew I thought he was 'cute'.
Needless to say, it was a good day for the boy. If that's not a boost in the self-esteem, I don't know what is. LOL
~melody~
Oh my gosh, don't feel bad at all!
At my IHOP there is this server that we seem to get all the time. He/she is very skinny, has pierced ears, wears a ton of jewelry and has a woman like voice. However the name of this person is something like "Christopher" or something. There is NO possible way that this person can be a male. I've had this person serve me 3 times so far and 3 of us STILL can't figure out if it's a guy or girl. Yeah, so we never say, "thank you maam, or sir" it's always, "excuse me." They probably think we are the rudest people in the world.
Oh gosh! That's hysterical!!! Such a difficult moment for YOU though. lol!!
I want to know how you found out the backstory! ;)
Don't you hate, when you don't know!! lol
This is hilarious!
It reminds me of Pat on Saturday Night Live...
OH MY!! i woulda died tooooo!!
i have a million moments that i cannot even talk about they are THAT horrible!
So stinking hysterical!!
Hahaha...I've run into that situation a few times. I hate awkward situations like that!
hey again- took a stroll to your gallery- cute stuff- i love the colors on the carrot cake page.
okay- OH MY GOD!!! hahahhahah! a she working on becoming a he??? hahahahhaha!!! that is so something that would happen to me!
Oh, good one! And I'm so glad you found out...I couldn't bear if there was no closure!
OK, the rest of the story caught me totally off guard - LOL!
Ha! That's hilarious! I read the same embarrassing story on American in Norway's blog and have been recalling my horror moments ever since. Maybe I should put my shame aside and go ahead blog about them... or not.
hahahaha! Oh my gosh...that is hilarious.
Yikes! That would be awkward. I've met a few people that I wasn't sure about, but I've never been in a situation where I had to say he or she.
LOL ... that is really funny.
Years ago, I was on the bus with my then year old son. He reached out and touched the long, beautiful, blondem wavy hair of the lady in front of us. I told him that he must not touch that lady's hair, as we didn't do that to people.
'She' turned around and gave me a really dirty look. Probably because 'she' had a full beard and moustache.
Well, it was hard to tell from the back !! ;-)
Oh my goodness, that was totally a scene from SNL!! LOL!!
LOL! I'd love to know how you found out the truth, though.
Too, too, too funny!
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