This article was posted on CNN yesterday. We've all been there, either on the receiving end of a snarky comment or the person shoving foot in mouth all the way up to the ankle.
I have to agree with the author that the NUMBER ONE thing a person never, ever, ever asks a woman of childbearing years.... "When are you due?" My dear friend Angel once met up with an acquaintance (actually the wife of her cousin's ex-husband) and uttered those very words.
The conversation went something like this: "Wow! You look like you are ready to pop. When are you due?" There was, if I recall the retelling of the story correctly, a moment or two of awkward silence before the following reply was given: "My baby is six weeks old." Oops.
The girl has a history of getting into awkward conversations. There were two girls, different ages, at our high school who had similar, unusually set eyes. Angel had a Journalism course with the younger of the two and asked the girl to tell her her sister's name. She gave Angel a funny look (no pun intended) and responded: "I don't have a sister. Convinced the two HAD to be kin, Angel says: "Yes, you do!" Which still makes me laugh (but no LOL, Stomper Girl).
I had my own foot-in-mouth moment at J.T.'s birthday party. I won't retell it as it was tragic and not at all one of those things you can laugh about later. It WAS unintentional and unpreventable... so I can live with it.
Sparkly Street Family Update.
8 years ago
8 comments:
I hardly ever do a LOL now I know why: Melinda will slap me across the internet. Sussanah says you can as long as you actually DO physically laugh out loud which I did. Plus I was in a hurry because I was going to the beach so shutup okay?
What was the rest of your post about?
Oh come on - you HAVE to tell now!
Yes I suspect you have to give a little more of that story.
Unfortunately I have been asked (years ago) whether I was pregnant when I was wearing the cutest little shift dress. Well I thought it was cute until that question was asked.
I don't know if I've ever left a comment for you before but I follow your blog. I'm usually the one misspeaking (why I love blogging because I have time to think before I write!). After I had my first son someone asked me when the baby was due. Yikes! I totally agreed that I still looked pregnant. It was my first child so I expected my stomach to be almost flat after delivery. Umm not even close. Silly girl. Since that incident I will never ask a woman when she is due. I'm flat out afraid!
Much love from NJ,
Suz
Half a story - that's all you gave us here.
The French don't use LOL they use MDR which means mort de rire - dying with laughter. I'm certain they don't expect THAT to be literal!
All right, I'll confess. We invited one of J.T.'s friends from school whose mother I have not seen since early summer. She was 6 months pregnant then. So of course, I asked her how the baby was doing, since he was due in August and it is now January. The look on her face! I knew. He didn't make it and I felt like an absolute idiot for asking. I know I couldn't know... but that terrible look on her face.... I would have given anything to be able to unask that question!
And Suz, Mary... I wore one of those empire waist shirts to a dinner and was asked if I was expecting. Never wore that shirt again!
Foot in mouth... guilty of way too much. Love your site. I am glad I just happened to find it.
Yep the preggo question is why I don't wear those adorable floaty dresses and tops that teenagers get away with.
And yes, you'll HAVE to tell your story. Just email us...
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