My Blunder Your embarressment

I am sure everyone once in life commits blunders that lead to embarrassments. Well, I too have committed some. Recalling those incidents makes me laugh even when all alone.

Let me start with some of my blunders that became embarrassment for others. Well, my unintentional moves have left some people (victims of my blunders) horrified and embarrassed.

1. I was travelling in a train, in a group. The group comprised of students who were returning to the university after a long summer vacation. While the group had some known faces, there were also few other candidates who were unfamiliar to me. The only commonality we shared was our place of residence and university. Amongst the strangers was a guy who was doing MBA from the same university. He seemed to be a little snobbish, Akdu types. He did not speak much or tried to mingle with others. I too did not give much heed to his presence as he seemed least interesting to me.

The journey went off well. Our station was about to arrive. Now there was a little problem here. The train halted at this station for just few minutes. We all had to be very quick as there was a big group with good amount of luggage. Finally, the train stopped at the station. Everyone hurried to get down with their luggage. Now just as it was my turn to alight from the train, I got a push from behind. 

Luckily I managed to land safely on the platform but lost my balance and was about to fall. I stumbled for support. Well in desperate effort to avoid falling I clinged to the close by support...leg of the person standing nearest to the door. This was the Akdu boy from our group.

As I strived to maintain my balance I suddenly noticed tensed expression on this boy’s face. Initially I could not comprehend why he gave such an expression when it was me who was actually struggling .But soon I got my answer. He had all good reasons to give a troubled expression.

On no! I was clinging to his pant, putting all my weight on it. The poor fellow forgot everything, his luggage, his attitude etc. He struggled hard to keep his pant intact which I guess was either low waist or loose fitting with no belt.

On realizing what a mess I was about to do I immediately rose up, releasing my support and relieving the boy who had turned red. I felt sorry but thankfully he was safe and unharmed. Well I don’t know how exactly he must have felt but it was surely embarrassing.

Later the incident became the laughing stock for all who witnessed the scene and also for those who later came to know about my blunder and the victim.

2. Once I was doing my internship in one of the newspaper firms. We were working for the supplement pages. I was introduced to the four senior most editors and writers who were our supervisors. The team comprised of two men and two ladies. They often assigned us tasks through mails and sometimes even called us on the landline phone for more info.

Now one day as I was busy writing my news story, I got a call on the landline. As I picked up the phone, I heard a soft, gentle voice on the other side. I greeted, “Hello ma’am”. There was a minute of silence after my greeting but then the speaker continued to apprise me about the latest assignment. I was also asked to come to supervisor’s cabin to collect some handwritten matter.

I went to the cabin and approached the lady supervisors but they said they did not call me. Seeing me in the cabin, the young male supervisor with whom I never got a chance to converse beckoned me.

Suddenly I realized I had made a blunder. It was none of the ma'ams but my senior male supervisor who had called me on the land line phone. Well, throughout the call I had addressed him as ma’am and now sir was in front of me.

Well, just as I was embarrassed to face him he too looked little embarrassed. Since then I made sure not to refer to anybody as ma’am or sir on phone, until I was confirmed about the gender of the speaker.

3. Once I visited my friend who lived in Chandigarh. She was expecting. She lived in a rented house with his landlord’s family occupying the lower floor of the building. She shared a good repo with her landlords. 

One day after routine check up we went to meet the landlady who had this perfect Punjabi accent and used local dialect. Like any old, experienced lady she started giving some valuable suggestions to the pregnant woman.

Now this lady said, “Is time pe kaam mat kerna, khatra hota hai”.

To this I cheerfully replied, “Don’t worry aunty maid hai na kaam kerne ke liye. She is old but manages very well”.

I said this very proudly as I had helped my friend employ this old lady to look after her household works.

Having said this I noticed the landlady looked very surprised. I could not gather why she was stunned by my words. Later her daughter-in-law made it clear to us. She said that by Kaam she did not mean work. The term kaam was used straight from the  shabdkosh (dictionary), a Sanskrit word that meant sex.

Oh! I was cleaned bowled… I did not know how to react. But once back to our rooms, my friend and i had a laughter riot, drawing connection between the landlady’s words and our understanding.

Well I feel sorry for the people who became victims of my blunders and faced embarrassment. But when I think of those past incidents, the tensed expressions, the surprised faces and embarrassed looks come flashing back and I just can’t stop laughing.