Awkward moments caused entirely due to that British politeness embarrassment thing

[Piglet208]

I was recently having a meal in a hotel in France with Dh. After the main course, the lovely waiter ( he looked like Manuel from Fawlty towers) came over with the menu and said something in French about dessert. I speak some French but didn't catch the whole sentence so I nodded and went to take the menu. He pulled the menu away, smiled and said something else which I didn't catch. We assumed that he thought we didn't want dessert and decided to leave it as the restaurant was extremely busy. Suddenly Manuel triumphantly appeared with two desserts and handed a creme brûlée to Dh and a chocolate tart to me. Now obviously we should have got his attention and explained we hadn't ordered dessert but my embarrassment at having to try to explain in French and to be honest the fact that the desserts looked lovely led to Dh suggesting we just eat them. As we started to eat Dh noticed that the group of waiters were having a serious discussion and looking over worriedly at us. Manuel was beginning to sweat and it was obvious that we had someone else's dessert. So the whole time we continued to eat the desserts ( they were lovely) the entire restaurant staff were heatedly gesticulating and glaring while Manuel got more and more sheepish. After a while identical desserts were brought out to a table close by and eventually Manuel shuffled over to our table and asked Dh to sign for the desserts, avoiding any eye contact or mention of the mistake, which he obviously did much to Manuel's relief. I can't help thinking that Manuel must think we were slightly strange to accept 2 rogue desserts and eat them without saying anything!

@BlueGloves I think this proves that Scotland cannot ever be truly independent from England

GameOldBirdz I do the EXACT same thing! There's also a garage I frequent that always offers the special VAT receipts. I have no need for them at all and yet I have a purse full.

I'm Irish and very sick with this disease if I seen someone I know from far away like an acquaintance I'd literally go out of my way to avoid them. even though I like them. so awkward.

even my own boss and Co workers..I get the bus from a different side of town to avoid standing outside their shop and having to chat.

oh yes the supermarket one is the worst!! if you bump into.someone you know.and have small talk... get outta there immediately so you don't bump into them again cause oh how awful that would be and the world would end right literally thought it was just me being a weirdo with all this

I'm completely English but if someone gets my name wrong I tell them!! I also complain in restaurants which my DH hates. He had the wrong coffee today and it was cold but he wouldn't let me say anything!

Heavily pregnant and DNiece came to stay overnight. She decided to have a bath at 7am, which was my time for my morning toilet visit (downstairs bathroom which was accessed via kitchen). Rather than ask her to get out of the bath at that ridiculous time, I did a pee in a pint glass in our soon be nursery but it was more than a pint, and leaked onto carpet. Had to clear that up. I coudn't bring it downstairs as she and DP were by then having breakfast in the kitchen so threw it out of the window.

Mine was at a very young age - I had just started school, so not much over 5 years old. In assembly they used to hold up the lost property for pupils to claim. One particular day they held up a doll. No one claimed it. I stuck up my hand intending to say maybe a younger sibling had dropped it, but the HeadTeacher jumped in with 'Oh, it's yours MrsOlly. Here you go.....' Too embarrassed to admit the mis understanding I mumbled my thanks and took the doll. On the way home I shared a car with my cousin and neighbour who were all interested in the doll and how I'd lost it. I was mortified but played along. However, the worst was yet to come as when my Mum heard the story she (rightly) insisted I take the doll back and explain that it wasn't mine. 40 odd years later it still makes me cringe.....

People constantly mispronounce my (Welsh) name and I have terrible trouble correcting them. I can't even explain why I find it so embarrassing. On the odd occasion I have called someone by the wrong name and been put right I haven't died of mortification, I've been grateful to have been corrected - so why can't I do it back? A very casual aquaintance I bump into only a couple of times a year has been calling me an entirely different name for years; one of these days she will find out and I will look like a lunatic. It's just ridiculous.

Dh and I when we first got together went on holiday to Spain We visited the Royal Palace in Madrid and also went for a walk in the gardens. Dh decided we were in a secluded spot and it would be a nice place to dtd. So I got on top. I wasn't that eager btw but I just thought I'd be best to go with the flow - being British and all. Anyway just as we'd finished, a security guard arrived. Though I suspect he had spotted us a while back . I picked up my shoes and ran and hid. Dh thought it was hilarious as he swaggered in my direction. He's French. This happened more or less 25 years ago to the day.

The furrowed brow at the babies aged 12 and 18 months got me silently giggling so much I woke the baby sleeping on me

I choked down liver curry at a neighbour's house. I'm not a fussy eater but I do hate liver and it was esp horrible. Who would even think to make such a thing?? Anyway, English politeness kicked in and I nibbled away heroically.

The next time we got together they made it again 'because everyone enjoyed it so much last time'

When i was 18 i went with my friend to a lads house that she knew he was their with friends. We got drunk i went home next day went to work and when i finished this lad from night before was standing their. I had forgotten he had asked me to meet him the night before. I did not like him but instead of just making a excuse i went with him to his grandparents and was introduced to his grandparents and siblings as hid new girlfriend! Then he insisted on seeing me home. So we get train he has his arm round me and a older woman starts talking saying oh to be young and in love and he starts chatting away to her about how im his new girlfriend and how much he likes me. I am just cringing so bad and just thinking why am i doing this , just say something! I get off at train quickly say bye and rush home. It was so akward and i still dont know why i just didnt tell him when he was outside my work.

I once found a cheap off-licence and decided to spoil my husband with his favourite brand of vodka. I drink wine normally so assumed a case would be six bottles and ordered a case. At the check-out the price was quoted as double what I thought and I was too embarrassed to admit I got it wrong, so handed over the money and walked out with 12 bottles of vodka.

I told my husband that the only appropriate response from him is 'thank you' and to never mention it again. We could barely afford to eat that month but could have a drink anytime

I am not English but did spend 7 years in Liverpool and I think it rubbed off on me...

Some of these have had me laughing out loud. Loved the imaginary children one

I went to a funeral I had no intention of going to.

I was pulling off my drive when a hearse passed slowly by and I remembered an elderly man who lived at the end of the road had died. I didn't know him but other neighbours who had lived there longer did.

Anyway other neighbours were obviously following said hearse after the family cars and somberley waved me off my drive.

I was now in the funeral chain and couldn't think of any way to turn off and go to town so ended up at the cremation for his last fair well.

I did make my excuses not to attend the wake at his sons house and made my way shopping eventually.

When I was in my 20s (many moons ago!) a friend and I had arranged to meet up in our local wine bar, which we frequented on a regular basis, for an after work drink. It was early evening so was virtually empty when I arrived. I sat down at a table (it was table service only) and looked at the wine list, then looked up at the bar staff to indicate I was ready to order. They were all standing around in a gaggle at the bar having a good old chit chat - they were aware I was there, but seemed determined to ignore me. So I went through the rigmarole of looking at the wine list and then looking in their direction for service again. Still they ignored me - although they did go to serve other customers who were arriving. This carried on for about 15-20 minutes until friend arrived, full of apologies for being a bit late. She expressed surprise that I hadn't ordered a bottle of wine and two glasses and all I could say, rather plaintively, was that nobody had come to serve me. Of course, as soon as she joined me one of the staff sped over to our table to take our order. Pathetically, and rather Britishly, I didn't say anything about having to sit there for over quarter of an hour waiting to be served.

lonestar. 🤣

Oh God this thread is great.

About a year after I had DS I developed quite a sticky out lower belly possibly because I'd been happily reconnecting with the wine bottle after finally giving up breastfeeding.

I was buying some jewellery from a woman at a stall in a craft fair when she asked me "so when's it due? You'll have your hands full!" indicating young DS.

To save her embarrassment and because we were in the middle of a transaction I mumbled "5 months".

I'm pretty sure she must have known by the shade of beetroot my burning face went but she carried on the pretence too till the transaction finished.

My daughter's English teacher calls her Olivia. Her name's nothing like Olivia, and start with an 'M'. She just answers to Olivia now, in that one class, and no one corrects her. At parent teacher night, we discussed 'Olivia's' progress....

My mother is Australian but I was born & grew up in the UK. When I was young and mentioned to some of the other kids at school that I was half-Australian, one of them pointed out that I didn't sound half Australian. From that day on, I tried speaking in half an Australian accent, which was not easy to do!

Years ago I worked for a charity and I was looking for a venue for a monthly event. Someone reccomended the local church hall so I popped in to see the vicar, all good he was happy to let us use it and introduced me to his office manager Donna who would organise everything we needed.

Venue was perfect and we used it for 2 years until I needed to chat to Donna about something and I couldn't get hold of her so popped into the church on my way home. Vicar was there so explained my problem and asked him to get Donna to give me a call. He explained that DEBORAH was on holiday but would no doubt contact me when she returned

I went to see her and apologise when she was back. It had been 2 years of phone calls and emails and she had never corrected me! I am not sure who was most embarrassed her or me. I still cringe now at that meeting . I soon handed that project on to a colleague to save us both any further awkwardness.

When I arrived in the French city I was going to study in, with a year's worth of luggage I stood in the queue at the bus stop outside the station. After a while a bus pulled up and its doors opened, so i hung back to let the crowd that had been there before me get on. But no one moved forward and before i could do anything the doors closed and the bus pulled away. I subsequently realised that although they were waiting at a public bus stop, the others were all kids waiting for a specific private school bus.

Actually, my husband is French (I met him during that year abroad so long ago) and I really recognise myself in all these tales of "not wanting to bother or interrupt" someone..... it's how I am with him, and sometimes I get really fed up because he doesn't seem to respect me in that he interrupts when I'm in the middle of something - demanding an immediate response, whereas I always check he's not "busy" before asking him anything. I thought it was just a self centred man thing, but I'm wondering now if it's a nationality difference.

I don't

Does any other nation do theses things I think was the question?

Canadians - Politeness on acid.

I was chatting to a colleague behind me that I've known for a while and he isn't the most politically correct. A new man who was sitting next to this colleague joined in the conversation and at some point I mentioned something about small man syndrome. New guy looked average height, thought I was on safe ground. Politically incorrect colleague is now giving me the looks I normally have to give to him. New guy turns on his seat and goes over to get a coffee and he has really really short legs but a normal sized back. There wasn't anything wrong with him btw, that was just his build.

Obviously I can't speak to either of them anymore and I've requested a desk move. :)

I'm Irish but definitely have experienced this too. I'm laughing so so much at all your stories!

My good friend (Julie) works in a lovely hair salon, they don't cut children's hair but she often asked my daughter in to get her hair cut so one day we went in and she made a huge fuss of my daughter, and even got her nails painted. She was only about 4.
Anyway, the next time she needed a cut, I thought I would do the same again so rang to make an appointment. My friend Julie answered the phone but I wasn't sure it was her because they have a receptionist.
So I asked to make an appointment with 'Julie' and she obviously didn't recognise me, and I said oh it's for my daughter, and my friend said 'oh Julie does not cut children's hair!'
So I said 'oh but she knows us, I am her friend Lucky' thinking that she would admit it was herself but no!!!
To my horror, she actually changed her voice a bit and continued pretending to be someone else to take the booking and I had to continue pretending I didn't know it was her!!! For the whole phonecall!!!

Oh my good God, I have never mentioned it since but by the end, her voice was nearly American and she knew I knew and we were both cringing!

Then I had still had to go in for the haircut....