Getting caught out when you tell a lie: embarrassing examples please

[Eastie77]

I need something to make me feel better!

I have received complaints from work colleagues about a guy in my team because he is constantly asking people to check his emails, presentations, documents etc before sending them to clients. He has come in at a mid-senior level with a fair amount of experience and was expected to hit the ground running, use his own initiative etc but it hasn't happened. He is quite demanding and will often stand by your desk insisting that you check his work (multiple times) before he sends it out which is extremely wearing. I admit I have begun to loose patience especially as he will often ask me just as I'm leaving the office to pick up the DC.

On Friday he emailed me a .zip file and asked me to check a document he'd written up. I opened it, saw the word file but couldn't be bothered to read it so just messaged back saying I'd read it and it was fine. Turns out the file was mainly blank (just the cover page) as he forgot to add the actual pages of text.

So..upside is he'll probably never bother asking me to check his work again but I now feel so horribly embarrassed

Sounds like you handled it perfectly! Now he will stop asking and do his own work properly!

Problem solved!! I wouldn't worry about it.

I was on the bus once and another passenger got on who always made a beeline for me and would proceed to tell me her life story. I'm usually pretty patient but on this occasion I couldn't face it so pretended to be on the phone and just gave her a wave and a smile. Midway through my one sided phone conversation...you've guessed it. My phone rang. So everyone on the bus immediately knew my lie I was so embarrassed I got off the bus and had to walk the last 30 minutes to work. Serves me right though!

School kid error CF! I always set mine to silent before I do this, which is quite often!

Well beat this!...

I once was having a conversation with a new work colleague (who was a fair bit older than me) about what a bitch this girl was at school. "Oh, you mean my daughter, xxxx?" Loooong awkward pause She has quite an unusual name and for various other reasons, it was obviously her. Cue me trying frantically to back track "oh, it must be another xxxx" and then started describing someone with opposite features, desperately trying to dig myself out of it, but she just smiled and said "It's ok, she is a bitch" I was still mortified, but obviously slightly relived that she agreed. I was then more embarrassed that she knew I was lying! 🙈

I often do that phone trick as well. Have never set it to silent but will remember to do that now!

That must have been mortifying, CanIbehappy

I denied having a huge gobstopper in my mouth in school and I remember so clearly it falling out and bouncing on the desk, right in front of the teacher.

Hilarious. Nearly pissed myself cfmagnet

Better to get your work/spelling checked than make an embarrassing spelling mistake I guess

Don’t lose any sleep over it.

Ha ha busted!

Oh dear op - has he replied yet ?

Staying in bed all day as a teen because I hated my voluntary job. Told mum all about my day at work.
It had burned down the night before 😳

So shortly after my embarrassing episode he emailed our manager to complain bitterly about lack of support from his colleaguesThis is extremely annoying as everyone has actually gone out of their way to help him and spent hours checking his work and reassuring him. He has required a level of hand holding I'd expect an intern to need - not a professional in his late 30s!

Our manager is actually on extended paternity leave but is still working so picked up the email. I know about the complaint because my manager (who is quite unprofessional in many ways!) messaged to tell me all about it.

Why were you receiving complaints about this chap and not the manager? Does the manager know how useless the new chap is?