12:57 p.m. - 2004-12-06
insert foot...
Almost anything can sound creepy if you repeat it several times in a sort of monotone but pleasant flight-attendant type voice. Try it.
Talk about putting one's foot in one's mouth. Time for a "Your Mom" story. Yowee, wait until you hear this one. So I was at this Italian restaurant with Lindsey a few nights ago. I leave the super crowded dining room to go to the ladies room. As I enter, four women are standing there talking. I go past them to the stall and you know, use it. As I'm doing so, I realize that three of the women know each other and the other girl is telling them a story, like in a "Oh my gosh, you won't believe what happened to me" kind of way. You know, like something random happens and it's so crazy you have to tell someone, even a stranger, or even three strangers. So she says "And he called me over and said 'it's my birthday' and I said 'oh, happy birthday!" and then he said (lowers her voice a bit) 'And I love that shirt; it like totally compiments you."
She says this last part with a little bit of a lisp if you know what I mean. She apparently thought it was really funny to tell a group of three strangers that she had an interaction with a gay man. Ummm, ok sweetie I know we're all busy, but it's time to crawl out from under the rock and get with the program. Now, AS IF this is not already horrible...
No one else is laughing. Not even politely laughing. I am in the stall with my eyes and mouth wide open, holding my breath and not knowing what to do. The one woman, after an incredibly long and awkward pause, says "First of all, you should know this is a gay-friendly restaurant. Second of all, you should know that this is a pretty gay part of town. Third of all, you should know that the three of us are here today to celebrate my GAY brother's birthday and he actually mentioned to us that he did really like your shirt."
The back peddaling and "umm"s and "no I didn't mean..." and "I have tons of gay friends..." did not go well. I have to say the women were actually incredibly gracious with her, given the circumstances. Wow. It's hard for me to believe that anyone would actually think that they could just say something like that to random people in public. I think someone probably learned something that day.
