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Original poster

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

389 replies

MysticTed · 26/09/2017 20:33

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!

OP posts:
Thecomfortador · 26/09/2017 23:19

I picked up a small bottle of whiskey as a birthday present for dp. Another customer came up to me and directed me to the large bottles which were stocked on the end of the aisle. I ended up buying it as I didn't want to bump into her at checkout and explain that I actually only wanted the small bottle and make her feel embarrassed. (said large bottle of whiskey remains unopened).

buntingqueen · 26/09/2017 23:20

I once bought a helium balloon from a card shop, and the assistant didn't tie it properly or put it in a bag, so 10 seconds after I left the shop, it floated away, leaving me holding the ribbon. I was too embarrassed to go back in and ask for/but another one, so drove half an hour to the next town and bought one there!

dailydance · 26/09/2017 23:21

A guy worked in my local shop for a few years. He always thought my name was Sarah and I was too shy to correct him. I bumped into him a few years after he left that job and he proudly introduced me to his daughter. He named her after me. I chose that moment to tell him my correct name. His face fell. I have kicked myself ever since.

YouWereRight · 26/09/2017 23:26

Our office does a 'lunch with the directors' thing, it's painfully awkward.

I've managed to get out of it, till a few months ago. I walked in, introduced myself, he got my name wrong, I just smiled, despite the other 4 people in the room knowing that isn't my name.

Then he passed around sandwiches, I didn't mention i'm vegetarian, because I didn't want to be awkward. Somebody else mentioned it, so the director passed me a 'veggy' sandwich, and I felt too rude to point out salmon isn't veggy, so picked it apart for 2 fucking hours.

crazymissdaisy · 26/09/2017 23:27

I also paid 90 pounds for a Mulberry purse as an impoverished student twenty years ago. It never got to hold more than a fiver at a time but I couldn't leave what I thought was an ordinary leather goods shop (Mulberry in York) with a snooty shop assistant looking down on me for a scruffy student! similarly a fish monger in a van came to my estate, offering "samples" of what they could bring every week. I said "ooh samples yes please" expecting FREE samples like at the clarins counter. But he came back with slices of giant fish and said 80 pounds please - yes I paid. Yes my freezer was full of fucking giant fish winking at me. Yes I was delighted there was a powercut and I had an excuse to throw it all out. The only fish I actually like is tinned tuna and fishfingers :(

Haudyerwheesht · 26/09/2017 23:29

I'm quite assertive in a lot of ways but if I feel like I'm inconveniencing someone especially in a shop / cafe / doctors etc then I get really embarrassed.

I have problems with local anaesthetic and was referred to a specialist clinic for a dental extraction. I had a 45 minute appointment and by 40 minutes in they'd tried to numb me with numerous injections and kept testing to see if I was numb yet. Because my time was going to run out I just said I was numb then held on white knuckled whilst they pulled my tooth out when it wasn't completely numb.

Also we are about to have some work done on our house - I am absolutely dreading it because I always feel really guilty if they're here and I'm not helping them - not that I could if I wanted to but I just find it really really awkward that they must think I'm a right lazy arse sat doing fuck all.

EnidButton · 26/09/2017 23:34

ILost I got half way through your haircut post and genuinely had to look to see if I'd posted and forgotten. I have him a £5 tip whilst holding back tears ffs. Hmm

EnidButton · 26/09/2017 23:34

*gave him

Haudyerwheesht · 26/09/2017 23:35

Also I once had someone ask me in a shop (where I was also a customer) if I knew where the black suit trousers were - rather than tell her I didn't work there , I took her over and then she kept asking me to pass her them to look and so on. Eventually she asked if there was a pair in a size 34" waist and so I wandered to the back of the shop, stood there for a minute and then went back and said sorry we're out of stock. Then I told her I was about to finish work and had a bus to catch but another colleague would help. I left the shop where dh was in the changing room and texted him to tell him I was hiding in the car. Couldn't even bring myself to look round the shops because I'd told her I was getting a bus!

RedastheRose · 26/09/2017 23:35

Ooh the workmen in the house problem Haudy you have to be there to offer tea/coffee/juice etc but you don't want them to feel you're checking up in them.

Been laughing out loud at these - fantastic!

buntingqueen · 26/09/2017 23:37

Ooh, just remembered another one! Years ago a neighbour knocked on my door with some post for me, and while I was stood in the porch chatting to her, my front door slammed shut. She asked if I had a key and I said "oh yes, don't worry", knowing full well I didn't! I waved her off and then hid in the porch for the next hour until my DH came home, in case she walked past. I didn't want to be invited in to hers to wait, and actually, I'd still do the same now!

Haudyerwheesht · 26/09/2017 23:37

Also our car really needed washed and it was freezing outside. There's a hand car wash place along the road from us but I couldn't go there because I felt too guilty sitting in my nice warm car whilst someone else got cold and wet.

Cultofpersonality · 26/09/2017 23:38

Someone I worked with last year would give me a lift home if we were both on a 10pm finish.
She thought I lived near one tesco, when it was the other one that was a little further away.
I didn’t ever tell her, I would just get out and walk the extra mile home...

KitKat1985 · 26/09/2017 23:40

Oh you lot are my people. I've done several of these things.

I've also had the wrong food order delivered to me several times in restaurants and often I'll just eat it anyway to avoid making any fuss.

There's also a guy I've known a few years (husband of one of the women I did NCT classes with a few year ago). I cannot remember his name, but as he's spoken to me so many times (our DDs go to the same nursery now) and it's been so long it's now far too awkward for me to ask. I recently did a birthday party for my DD and he, his wife and DD came along. I excitedly opened the card from them thinking I was finally going to get to learn his name; but they had signed it 'from [their DD's name] and family' so I still don't know.

QuackDuckQuack · 26/09/2017 23:41

I'm now feeling like the most assertive person on Earth because I once told the checkout assistant to keep the £6 cherries. That was 20 years ago and I was a student, so £6 was a lot for a bag of cherries.

EnidButton · 26/09/2017 23:48

I know two people in rl who've done the cherries thing!

HitsAndMrs · 26/09/2017 23:49

I often look at the price tags in shops, realise it's too expensive but pretend to be make my mind up for a bit by touching the fabric and lifting it up so I don't look cheap Grin

73kittycat73 · 26/09/2017 23:52

I spent £16.00 on cakes at a fate. I presumed as it was only a fate the cakes would have been about 30p each. I bought about 6. When she asked for £16.00 I just dutifully handed it over! I I couldn't believe it!

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 26/09/2017 23:56

AlexaAmbidextra I came home with a £60 leather case for my new iPhone, that I was persuaded into buying in the giddy excitement of the new phone. Couldn't believe I'd spent all that on a bloody phone case so actually drove the 60 mile round trip back into the city the following week and took it back. They're not daft those sales assistants. Apparently it would protect my phone so much more than any ordinary case. Hmm

sweetbitter · 26/09/2017 23:57

I got into the wrong lane in a complicated city centre and ended up at a barrier to go into a multistorey car park. I was too embarrassed to back out and try to turn around, so I took a ticket, drove into the car park and straight round to the exit. Exit barrier took my ticket and demanded €3 just for the privilege of having been in there for all of 30 seconds! I felt so stupid.

Onthehighseas · 26/09/2017 23:59

At a market in France years agou pointed out how big a piece of cheese I wanted (it wasn't that big a chunk honest). It cost 32 euros and I was too embarrassed to hand it back and say no thanks.

MinisterForMagic · 26/09/2017 23:59

I haven't had a smear for several years because it's was 2013 when I last had sex and I'm too embarrassed to explain that it will hurt and please can I have lubrication/more lubrication/a smaller speculum.

Yes I know I'm an idiot, but I just can't face it.

dobbyclub · 26/09/2017 23:59

God I thought I was bad but you lot are terrible!
I'm far better now since having a child and therefore no time to piss about! I went to our local hippy organic shop to buy one (1) courgette and it came up at the till as £1.20. I was v embarrassed but did actually say 'sorry, I can't afford that' and walked out sheepishly straight into the corporate supermarket opposite

theftbyfinding · 27/09/2017 00:08

You're all mad but very funny Grin Wracking my brains for similar, I know I must have done some of these but it's been a while. The menopause brought assertiveness along with the hot sweats.

ElizabethDarcey · 27/09/2017 00:11

Ministerformagic get your smear test done! They always use plenty of lube. No excuses! Seriously. xx