Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Adventures in awkwardness

I have a new acquaintance; we're thrown together by circumstance rather than choice. And she's pleasant and I'm pleasant.

But she's trying very hard to make a connection with me, and it's so awkward that it makes my skin crawl.

Two of the best/worst examples revolve around Beau.

She heard (didn't see) me leave for lunch with him one day and asked me later if I'd gone to lunch with my DAD (Beau loved that one: I'm not that much older than you!).

When I laughed and explained to her that, no, the guy she heard me going to lunch with was my beau, she nearly fell through the floor, apologizing all over herself. I assured her that it was ok. And it was. Really. No big deal.

A week later, she came back and apologized again, saying that she just very much wanted to make a connection with me (language that makes me totally uncomfortable) and that she talked it over with her husband and he told her how awful it was. I assured her it was fine. Really. No. Big. Deal. Let it go.

Later that afternoon, she spied a photo of Beau as a 4-year-old (Beau loves to post things in my office; he's done decorating his own; why not start on mine?).

Is that your nephew? She asked, pointing to it.

I chuckled, said no, and explained who it was.

Oh God. I'm so sorry!

Here we go again.

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