Deliciously Awkward: I meant to do that
Less-than-optimal encounters — Installment 1
What’s the silver lining to being socially awkward?
It’s the funny stories you can tell your friends after the event has taken place, when there’s been plenty of distance between yourself and the trauma and you can laugh-cry about it yourself.
After recounting a few stories to a relatively new friend, she called me deliciously awkward.
That wonderful description motivated me to share some of my socially awkward stories and ask for feedback from some “Smooth Operators” to see what they might have done differently.
Here goes!
Awkward Story 1
Have you ever spazzed in front of a group of strangers?
One day, around 20 years ago, I went to band rehearsal in a house that was owned by one of my bandmate’s friends. I didn’t know any of the people who lived there myself but we were allowed to rehearse in their basement, so off we went. When we arrived at the house nobody was there but we had the keys so we just went down and started to practice.
By the time we were ready to leave, a large gaggle of kids (are you a kid at 21? I think the answer is yes) had returned home. There were about eight or nine gathered in the living room in an variety of seating and lying positions, watching television.
As we were leaving the house we had to pass the living room so my friend waved a quick hello to the group. I thought I’d do the same.
When I raised my hand to wave, my keys went flying across the room and landed behind their television.
🤗🙄😱
I did one of those tip-toe runs through the room, picked up my keys and ran out of the house.
The experts weigh-in
I asked three smoooooth Musicians what they’d have done differently!
Imogen Heap, Musician
20 years ago I’d maybe have done the same as I was 19 and a bit socially awkward! Now however, I’d be seeing the funny side of introducing myself to everyone while wrestling for my keys down the back of their television and know that if i ever met any of them again, we’d have an amusing start to the conversation.
Dan Goldman, Musician
I would have made light of it by drawing more attention to myself…like gone around shaking everybody’s hand and making a bigger fool to break the ice.
Murray Foster, Musician
I would have said, “Keys are very important to musicians” and calmly retrieved my keys from behind the TV….
What would you have done?
Are you awkward like me, or would you have found a smooth way to recover?
Please comment, share and don’t forget to join me for more awkward and fun-only-after-the-fact stories.
If you enjoyed this story please show your appreciation ♥️♥️♥️ and share!
My name is Caroline Rouben and I’m an entrepreneur developing an awesome interchangealbe shoe system called PopSoles that gives you the creative control to combine shoe-tops, heels, wedges and platforms in endless ultra-cool colour combinations and silhouettes. Hey if you’re gonna be awkward, you might as well have cool shoes 👠 👠 👠
