I'm a bit rough around the edges.
I am certainly not eloquent either - but I do try to keep myself from sounding like an idiot, most of the time.
It doesn't always work.
On Saturday, a colleague from our UK office who was attending the same conference I was had invited me out to dinner "with some buddies" after the reception that was being held at the Phoenix Art Museum.
My colleague - who I shall refer to as "B" is kind of high up in the food chain in our UK office. She's the director of this and that and has gobs and gobs of experience....knows all the right people...yadda, yadda, yadda.
I was very flattered that she invited me.
At dinner, I was seated right in between two people (these are "B's" buddies) that are verly well known and respected within the industry that I work in. We'll call them Mr. C and Mrs. H.
I felt immediately "out of my league" in the company of these people, but did my very best to keep up with them...learn from them...etc. I had only one beer - because I needed something cold and refreshing after walking 15 blocks in the freakin' AZ sun and thought it would be best if I didn't have any other alcohol to drink so that I can keep my wits about me. (Now I'm thinking I should have had LOTS more)
They were having a conversation about technology in the market...something and something...and it was a topic that really interested me so I attempted to "jump into" the conversation.
So....I waited for my moment and then lept in with: "I had a very interesting conversation with a few librarians while waiting in line for hors d'ourves about something very similar....."
Then it happened...
my mind when completely blank....
and I totally forgot what I was going to say and what point I was trying to make.
The heat in my neck started to rise up to my face as I felt myself blush. My ears turned bright red and felt like they were going to burn off my head.
I paused...attempted to pull myself together...I looked at them both and just said:
"I have totally lost my train of thought and have forgotten what point I was trying to make."
They chuckled - politely (which is like the kiss of death) and resumed their conversation.
As sweat poured out of every pore in my body and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest and leap across the table....I sunk slowly back into my chair and hoped I could recover.
There were a few redeeming moments later on and in the taxi back to the hotel Mrs. H. and I did have a very nice conversation about the project that she is working on and I actually understood what she was talking about, but I hope I won't be remembered as the idiot they had dinner with.
Please tell me I'm not the only one this has ever happened to?
Monday, June 09, 2008
I am not smooth
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11 comments:
Silly girl...that happens to everyone. I guarantee they will never remember that incident.
Thanks for the chuckle!
Truly. Don't give it a second thought. ;)
Shazza, it only happens to me about twice a week on a good week, otherwise every day. My train of thought completely derails and it is a trainwreck.
Hee hee.
The Only Daughter is right, Shazza. Don't give it a second thought; they certainly won't have done. It happens to everyone all the time.
This from an architect who found himself on a building site yelling at the contractors and completely forgetting the word for … you know … those rectangular red thingies?
When the builders realised I meant "bricks" they had a whopping and hollering party at my expense.
Hey ho.
nope, you're definitely not alone with that. Ellen DeGeneres even did a piece about it in one of her stand up shows.
Shazza, I would bet you there's not a single person who was at that table who has not had the exact same thing happen to them AND if they haven't, they will one day.
This happens to me on a regular basis.
Here's a great, funny article on memory that should give you a laugh.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
content/article/2008/06/03/
AR2008060302835.html
(I had some trouble loading this, so let me know if it doesn't work).
Kat
Oh Gosh. That happens to me all the time, and at the most inopportune moments.
Once I was introducing one good friend to another, and I completely blanked out on the first friend's name. It's Mary. I forgot the name Mary. And I had to call her "Mrs. ****" She never really forgave me and was soon not my friend anymore.
My excuse is the chemo. It makes me stupid and messes with my memory. Of course, I keep that to myself in the office. Publicly I blame the 50th birthday looming just beyond the horizon.
Dear Smoov,
Um...
......
what did I click on this for, again?
Hi Lulu -
Wow - sorry to hear about the chemo. I will send some good thoughts your way.
(I will remember to do that!)
Everyone has been there. As the Village Carpenter said, they won't remember either.
BUT, I know how embarrassing that can bed. At least you didn't spill your beer on them ... um, like I've done in a similar situation. :)
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