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Original poster

Cringes where you are still cringeing years later

197 replies

LemonWaterSugar · 26/09/2023 18:36

I have no idea if cringeing needs the "e". I think it does.

Anyway, I was driving today and out of nowhere did a MASSIVE cringe shudder at something I did about two / three years ago. I forget about it for a while then BAM it comes back and I have to relive it again.

Basically it was when everyone was working from home, so meetings on Teams / Zoom were relatively new. I wasn't long back from maternity leave so even less experience with this type of communication in a work setting.

I was interviewing for a new team member with my manager. All going well, although it's slightly strange on a screen especially as you have no eye contact and it's not always clear who you are talking to.

My manager asked the question.. obviously to the candidate but because we were on a screen and it looked like she was looking at me I ANSWERED IT 😩😩😩😩 I don't know what I was thinking. Gave a full blown answer to an interview question.

I realised way too late, and my manager sort of smirked then asked it again and said something like "it would be good to hear the answer from the interviewee".

EUGH.

Anyone have any of these that just keep coming back?

OP posts:
Freezingcoldinseptember · 26/09/2023 18:41

Excited to see the newly opened popular nightclub me and my bestie used to haunt- we kept our first drink of the evening until we got through those big doors.... However I hadn't anticipated there would be a staircase just inside the doorway and sort of fell up.. Grabbing onto the first available thing.. Which sadly was the lad in front's low slung jeans..
And down they went....
Worst was I was old enough to be his dm!

AutumnCrow · 26/09/2023 18:41

I seem to have one mega cringe episode per decade, and some smaller cringes (cringettes?) in between. And yes, the hideous memories do bounce into my brain unexpectedly. I think you have to train yourself to smile, put it in the box in your brain labelled 'Cringe Factor', stack it on the shelf and move on.

Original poster
LemonWaterSugar · 26/09/2023 18:43

I love cringettes 😂😂

OP posts:
Simonjt · 26/09/2023 18:45

When I’d been dating my now husband for a few weeks I accidentally told him I loved him, this was too soon and I panicked. I solved the issue by explaining in great detail why I didn’t love him, he kindly allowed me to just continue rather than saving me from myself.

In my last job we were doing some paperwork and I asked a colleague “how big are your piles?”

Meadowdog · 26/09/2023 18:46

Haha sorry OP but that's quite funny about the interview! Mine is - I was attending an evening class years ago and went out to use the toilet. The toilet looked a bit dodgy/slightly blocked but used it anyway, flushed it, and went back to class. A few minutes later a flood of toilet water arrived into the classroom. We were the only people in the building and it was very obvious it had been me!

Desecratedcoconut · 26/09/2023 18:55

I declared to a bunch of mates at college that my Mum and Dad were building an abattoir in the back garden and they creased up laughing but said nothing, told my boyfriend later in the day and, after he regained the ability to speak, told me I meant arbour. I mean, I was 16 but quarter of a century later I still burn with embarrassment.

LakeTiticaca · 26/09/2023 19:53

A male colleague who I'd had a brief fling with sometime previously. Both single but decided it wasn't going to be a LTR so we remained friends.

I was sitting opposite it him in the canteen one day and a random song popped into my head. I started singing it out loud " I don't know much, but I know I love you"
He got the wrong end of the stick and thought I was serenading him. He gave me a cold stare and got up and left.
I'm sooo glad there was nobody else there at the time. The heat coming off my face could have fired a large furnace
Mortifying 🥵🥵

Sophia89 · 26/09/2023 20:07

This isn't that bad but I was in a coffee shop and the guy serving me was chatting and we were laughing over something. I went back to get a spoon and the guy pointed to me where the spoons were but as his hand was near the cup with the spoons I put my hand in to get a spoon but my hand did an involuntary spasm and moved out and brushed his hand. It looked like I'd veered on the way to the spoons to stroke his hand with mine. It was awkward. I felt like some sort of sexual harasser or that I was taking the friendly chat too far. I walked away saying to my self oh my god, what the hell, why did my hand have to do that. Yes, I do over think everything.

SpeedyMackechnie · 26/09/2023 20:15

Not me, but our best man at our (thankfully for him) very small wedding.

What he MEANT to say was 'May the best of your past be the worst of your future'. Not sure if it's a Scottish saying?

What he ACTUALLY said was 'May the worst of the past be the best of your future'.

I know he still occasionally wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about it 🤣🤣🤣

spilltheteapot · 26/09/2023 20:20

I remember once engaging in salacious gossip about the size of a local tradesman’s equipment. I had no first had experience but had been informed by his friend of its impressive dimensions.
Turns out I was gossiping to his Aunt.
I am yet to recover.

Mydogisagentleman · 26/09/2023 20:28

Grabbing the hand of a short woman and trying to get her to leave the toyshop.
Unfortunately she was a dwarf who was the same height as my DD

Desecratedcoconut · 26/09/2023 20:30

spilltheteapot · 26/09/2023 20:20

I remember once engaging in salacious gossip about the size of a local tradesman’s equipment. I had no first had experience but had been informed by his friend of its impressive dimensions.
Turns out I was gossiping to his Aunt.
I am yet to recover.

🤣🤣

RattlewhenIwalk · 26/09/2023 20:35

I was sniffing a male colleague's aftershave, we'd been talking about it. I'd leaned forward, overbalanced and kissed his neck.

I just cringe every time I think about it.....I've never scuttled off away from someone so quickly ever.

Pebblesflintstoneandbambamrubble · 26/09/2023 20:37

Not me but my brother

He hated school and the teachers-and to be fair-they hated him back

He had not long left school and had a job that meant shoving leaflets through doors

He somehow got chatting to an older lady while out on his rounds

She asked where he'd gone to school and asked if he knew a Mr X

He went off on a rant about how this teacher was an ego filled prick,a tosser and how he hoped Mr X would die soon-there was a place in hell for a wanker like him

He finally paused for breath and asked the lady if she knew him and how

'Oh yes dear' She replied 'he's my son in law'

I would have died but they bonded over their hate for this bloke-he used to go round for a cuppa sometimes until she died a few years later!

Original poster
LemonWaterSugar · 26/09/2023 20:41

RattlewhenIwalk · 26/09/2023 20:35

I was sniffing a male colleague's aftershave, we'd been talking about it. I'd leaned forward, overbalanced and kissed his neck.

I just cringe every time I think about it.....I've never scuttled off away from someone so quickly ever.

Errrrrmmmmmmmmm what 😂😂😂😂😂 was the kiss a reflex?!

These are making me feel better haha!! I just HATE the cringe feeling 😩

OP posts:
Original poster
LemonWaterSugar · 26/09/2023 20:42

Pebblesflintstoneandbambamrubble · 26/09/2023 20:37

Not me but my brother

He hated school and the teachers-and to be fair-they hated him back

He had not long left school and had a job that meant shoving leaflets through doors

He somehow got chatting to an older lady while out on his rounds

She asked where he'd gone to school and asked if he knew a Mr X

He went off on a rant about how this teacher was an ego filled prick,a tosser and how he hoped Mr X would die soon-there was a place in hell for a wanker like him

He finally paused for breath and asked the lady if she knew him and how

'Oh yes dear' She replied 'he's my son in law'

I would have died but they bonded over their hate for this bloke-he used to go round for a cuppa sometimes until she died a few years later!

This is amazing 😂

OP posts:
froufroulala · 26/09/2023 20:51

At a hospital consultation was asked if I minded some trainee doctors attending. I was young and just said no problem. He left the room and asked me to strip to the waist. A nurse was there but he suddenly charged back in with about six young men and they all stared at my unclothed top. He shouted saying he wanted to examine my lower body not top!
I kind of died especially when one of the trainees gave me a sheet to cover up, still cringe thinking about it. Horrible man.

ATadGrumpy · 26/09/2023 21:08

For background- while pregnant it was believed I was having a girl. Mid 90's so a while ago.
Anyhoo, went on and it was a boy! Apparently it was unclear due to descending testes Blush already blushing while typing 😱
So, appointment with Doctor as he was unwell, not feeding. 😱
Dr asked how were his bowls and I heard balls 😱 Imagine the rest, to my great horror 😱

TinaTeaspoons · 26/09/2023 21:14

A loud sneeze/fart I did in a busy shop.
Very tired one day and was meeting a mutual friends 2 week old baby. Mum asked me if I thought the baby needed some milk and not really thinking, I turned and asked the baby the question forgetting for a moment that it couldn't actually answer me......

Original poster
LemonWaterSugar · 26/09/2023 21:15

froufroulala · 26/09/2023 20:51

At a hospital consultation was asked if I minded some trainee doctors attending. I was young and just said no problem. He left the room and asked me to strip to the waist. A nurse was there but he suddenly charged back in with about six young men and they all stared at my unclothed top. He shouted saying he wanted to examine my lower body not top!
I kind of died especially when one of the trainees gave me a sheet to cover up, still cringe thinking about it. Horrible man.

That is bloody awful!!! Not anything you should cringe about.... I'm sorry that happened to you xx

OP posts:
OhHolyMoly · 26/09/2023 21:20

A loud and uncontrollable fart during RE in Year 9.

Turtleshell01 · 26/09/2023 21:21

@Mydogisagentleman Im actually in tears laughing at that

QuestionableMouse · 26/09/2023 21:24

Cringing does not need an E. 😁

I'm sure I've got some but can't think of anything right now! Will return when I do!

Pudmyboy · 26/09/2023 21:26

TinaTeaspoons · 26/09/2023 21:14

A loud sneeze/fart I did in a busy shop.
Very tired one day and was meeting a mutual friends 2 week old baby. Mum asked me if I thought the baby needed some milk and not really thinking, I turned and asked the baby the question forgetting for a moment that it couldn't actually answer me......

love this! 😂😂😂

Disturbia81 · 26/09/2023 21:32

Shitting on my bedroom floor and walking up next to the piles of it after drinking a whole bottle of southern comfort, and it taking my parents 2 hours to get me up the stairs. I then ran myself a bath and fell asleep in it while it was running and flooded the house. I was 17. Good times.. not. 🙈😱😂

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