Because of my shyness I came out of a chip shop with a portion of fish...

[MysticTed]

Instead of a cone of chips.

Which is what I asked for but was too embarrassed to correct the woman serving me.

So I ended up eating a massive battered cod on its own for lunch.

Can you please share any silly scenarios you've been in because if your lack of assertiveness to make me feel I'm not alone!

[Aridane]

I had been thinking of nominating for Classics. However, I wasn't sure whether this thread was very funny (which it is) or a bit sad (which it also is). But I think we've all been there.

[Wineandpyjamas]

I got the bus today to take my daughter to playgroup. An all day pass cost £4. On the way back we had to run to catch the bus. By the time I'd got the buggy on I was so flustered and apologetic for holding up the driver I'd completely forgotten where I'd put my all day ticket. Had a quick root around in my coat pockets - nothing. Was so aware of the stares of impatient passengers so instead of taking a few more seconds and double checking I paid for another all day pass! (Need to catch multiple buses to this playgroup!) so all in all spent £8 on travel. To add insult to injury I found the original pass when I got onto the next bus!

[DamsonGin]

I've just hidden from a perfectly nice parent, at the end of the ladies shoes isle in Sainsburys, for no good reason. On the flip side I did come out with three pairs of summer sandals, in my size, for £13.

[uhhuhh]

I was once in a bar with my friend & ordered two drinks but wasn't given glasses. The drinks were in these enormous bottles which were difficult to drink from. My friend asked why I wasn't given glasses. For some reason I lied & said the guy had said they were in the dishwasher. My friend went over herself & spoke to the barman who handed her two glasses. Have never forgotten the strange look they both gave me

[CoughingForWeeks]

I once accepted a job I didn't want and stayed there for over two years because I didn't want to appear rude by declining it. I knew at the interview that it would be rubbish and I ended up quitting without another job to go to in the end because I hated it so much.
I like to think I'm more assertive now and wouldn't do things like that.

[abbey44]

I had a patch of really overgrown weedy garden (about 1/4 acre) that needed strimming, so I got a man in to quote. He said it'd take several evenings and possibly a weekend day and it'd be £275. I really had to get it done (upcoming house viewing), so took a deep breath and said ok - I had no idea of how long it would actually take, so thought it was a bit steep but ok for that much time.

In the end, it took him four hours. I said, well.... and he said "quoted for the job, love, not for the time" and I meekly handed over the cash because I was too embarrassed to argue the toss.

[tryingtobebrilliant]

Called the wrong name for 2 years by a senior exec in my old job. When I eventually Said my name is actually tryingtobebrilliant he said "I know, but I don't like that name."

[Twoweekcruise]

We were at a country show this summer and mooching around the various stalls and marquees. 12 year old ds has flat feet and there was a stall selling these 'miracle' insoles which the, very, pushy lady claimed solved all ailments, even had a girl 'who was on crutches for years' walking again. And even though I knew she was talking bollocks and the insoles were made from crappy foam you could buy anywhere, I still purchased a pair, just to get away from her. £26 and two weeks later those special orthotic pieces were as flat as bloody pancakes!!
We also got stung for some rip off tasteless fudge from the very same marquee!!

[couchparsnip]

The kids needed sunhats suddenly on holiday in Wales so we went in the nearest shop to buy them, picked up a couple we liked and took them to the till. The till person said £45 please! Instead of going "£45! for 2 hats!!" and then going to Primark I just paid it. Kicking myself ever since.

[cambodianfoxhound]

When I started my job 11 years ago, they set up my email address with the wrong version of both my first and second name. I never corrected it. Now the entire firm, industry, colleagues still use the incorrect names. When non work friends ask why such and such calls me by different name I have no real explanation.

[nosyupnorth]

my very first week of uni I went to a french class, sat down and started trying to take notes but understood absolutely nothing. Spent 20 minutes feeling dead thick because I'd only just scraped the grades to get in and everybody else clearly knew far more than me - then realised I had in fact sat down in a GERMAN class
Stayed for the next hour and a bit nodding and pretending to take notes because I didn't want to get up and admit that I'd managed to be in the wrong class for so long without noticing it wasn't even the right language

[mamabebe84]

I was at the café with my one year old daughter yesterday, one of the girls from the staff came over and complimented on such a cute boy I have, I didn’t bother to correct that she is a girl because I thought I won’t see her around again. But she kept on chatting to the baby, waving to “him” coming over from time to time calling her such a smart little boy. I was embarrassed to correct her such a long time after and was terrified she will ask for her name; so I kept on calling her "darling" instead by the name and quickly finished my coffee and packed the cake to my bag for later 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[DRE56322]

I'm glad someone resurrected this thread, because I have plenty of stories!

• I had been a vegetarian for many years and ordered a veggie burger at a restaurant. They brought me out a beef burger, and I was too shy to mention it wasn't what I ordered, so I ate it. (and it was delicious, and I remained a meat eater for another 5 years or so before reverting!)
  
• There is a very long road in my town that is about 4 miles long. I got on the bus and asked for "X road"- of course it was the wrong bus, but I didn't want to say anything, so I got off at the "wrong" end of X road and walked the 4 miles home instead.
  
• First day f sixth form at a different school that I'd been at for years 7-11, I walked into the wrong classroom. Turns out that instead of A Level French, it was maths. I realised pretty much straight away but kept quiet and. spent the hour praying not to be asked any questions!

[WaterBird]

Sorry to bump this, but I just discovered it in Classics and am beyond grateful for this thread. I'm very early twenties. I've been known not to speak up/correct people on my very difficult-to-pronounce name. I have also sometimes been known to say "yes" to help others even though I really don't want to/don't feel I can. Part of it is because I know how inconvenient it would be for the person asking the favour if I said no.

[UbercornsGoggles]

My husband and I got totally ripped off buying tapenade in a French market and didn't have the language skills to turn it down once we knew the price. We still talk about expensive things in terms of how many tapenades they are.

[spinabifidamom]

In October of 2017 I was at the mall. I was at the makeup shop buying some new makeup for myself. Instead of giving them the correct change I accidentally shortchanged them. I ended up going back to the store the next day to apologise for my mistake.

[FindaPenny]

I went to the local kebab shop to buy my husband a kebab.
The guy working there has always been really friendly so we started chatting.


While we were chatting I noticed that they seemed to be making 4 of everything, so I tentively asked how many he thought I wanted..... It was 4 of course!


It was super awkward and the guy offered to keep the extra, but I knew he couldn't resell it so I just went into this spiel that my husband would love it... Could eat them for breakfast etc...


Unfortunately I didn't even have enough money on me, so my husband had to pay the remainder on the way to his night shift...... It came to almost £40!!!!
Luckily the guy left the country not long after so I didn't have to face him again after my mistake.

[pushingdaisies]

Just been reading through the threads on classics and this is one of my favourites because it's me all over. I've done so many of these things.

Most recently, spent £120+ having my hair highlighted from very dark to try and lighten it to (hopefully) blonde. First hairdresser was awful and my hair was like chewing gum so I let it recover and went to the hairdressers my mum goes to. Fucking hell. My hair was ginger with loads of grey streaks and dodgy pale ginger bits and it felt crunchy and she just kept saying "oh better get a conditioning treatment on that" like I didn't know she'd just fried my hair off. Said it was fine and I liked the colour, she obviously knew she'd messed up and knew I was lying but I paid and left anyway. Cried about it, 5 days later I dyed my hair dark brown. So I spent a ridiculous amount of money and now it's only a few shades lighter than it was and about 6 inches shorter where I had to cut off all the pubey ends. Fabulous.

Also, about 3 weeks ago, I was in work and went to collect something from another site. Decided I'd get a hot chocolate on my way back as I was feeling a bit shit. It's a machine where you do your own hot drink then take it to the till to pay. As I was making the drink, I went to get my bank card out ready, only to realise I had left it at home and had no change and no way of paying. Instead of laughing it off and explaining what I'd done, I turned straight round, left the machine filling up the cup and just walked out. Worst part is, I'm staff so they'd have let me take it anyway or pay another day. Honestly wanted to carry on walking and go home. I was so embarrassed

[ChristmasFluff]

I was working as physio on community. Went to a new lady's house, and she had laid on a whole buffet of food - clearly out of being lonely etc - and I was working in mental health, so fine...

Everything there was meaty. I am a vegetarian. But it was so clear she had made such an effort, and it meant so much to her.

So I shoved some ham sandwiches in my bag. After all, she wouldn't lay on this spread every week, when she realised this was the deal? Would she?

She did. 'I've made you ham sandwiches because I saw you liked them'. My now ex-husband used to laugh his socks at how he'd get ham sandwiches.

Then one day she never left the room.

I ate the ham sandwiches. Sorry, pigs.

[Relationshipsajoke]

Thought I’d resurrect this thread to say I got stuck talking to a slightly bonkers neighbour from down the road when I was outside my house the other day, he was going on and on about nonsense and I was desperately trying to get away, he then asks how are the dogs? So British as I am, I said they were great thanks and proceeddd to have a further 10 minute discussion about my dogs.

I don’t have, nor have I ever had dogs. Fml.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

As a very shy, very polite 10 year old, I had to go to my aunt's for lunch with my cousin (aunts daughter) who was 1 year older. Given at that point I was used to travelling by bus by myself, going swimming and to the cinema etc with friends, this shouldn't really have phased me. We were from a very poor background, large family, quite chaotic, no money. Aunt was mum's younger sister and had "ideas above her station" 😁

Anyway, so arrives for lunch and are sat at a table with a tablecloth and everything. Aunt asks if I want toast and egg or Welsh rarebit. I don't really like eggs, but think that rabbit is quite expensive so the polite me thinks I'd better have the toast and egg. Lunch arrives and I get the hated eggs and cousin gets cheese on toast! I bloody love cheese on toast. Anyway, upshot is that my aunt trying to be posh meant I had a horrible lunch.

I've resented her ever since even though I'm in my 50s and she's now passed away.

Feckin' cheese on toast.

[InspirationWontCome]

When I was a teenager, I got a taxi to my part-time job (started at 6am on a Sunday so no public transport) one very snowy morning.

When we were almost there the taxi driver starts talking about dropping me off outside the 'staff entrance'. I said I'd never heard of the staff entrance and I'd been working there quite a while. He was trying to be helpful so I said oh well that sounds great thanks! He drove right past my work, kept driving into another industrial estate. It's slowly dawning on me that he thinks I'm going somewhere completely different 🙄 But obviously I was too embarrassed to tell him so went along with it!

I stood outside for a bit until he drove away then walked in the snow for about half a mile to get to my actual workplace 😂

[InspirationWontCome]

Oh and another one...

Years ago I was with an ex bf and his friend, and we were visiting his friend's mum. Whilst the boys were out of the room the mum started calling me by my bf's ex-gf's name. She did it once, I pretended I hadn't noticed and hoped she wouldn't do it again.

Then she said it again and again. I was too embarrassed to correct her so just accepted this was my name now.

When friend came back in the room and overheard this, he of course corrected her. His mum was looking at my like I was bonkers for having allowed myself to be called the completely wrong name for the last hour 🙈

[InspirationWontCome]

Oh God I have remembered another one - I need therapy!!

Years ago (in my defence I was only 16) my bf and I were visiting his gran. She lived far away so first time I'd met her.

She made us some lunch and had piled my plate high with tomatoes. I HATE tomatoes, especially the big beef tomatoes like these ones 🤢 Of course I was far too polite to say that to her, so we spent the next half an hour with my bf snatching the tomatoes off my plate when his gran's back was turned and shoving them in his mouth.

We were nearly home and dry when she turned round and caught him. 'Oh is he stealing your tomatoes? Let me get you some more'. Cue my plate getting piled high with more tomatoes 😱

I promise I am far more assertive now!

[tillytoodles1]

My brother has always been known by his second name but on his first day at work his boss said lads this is "first name" and he was too shy to say anything and that's what he's been known as since. He's been there over twenty years now, his wedding was a bit awkward with all his mates from work there.