Thursday, February 26, 2009
Slightly Inappropriate
The other day, I made a slightly inappropriate response to a pleasantry. Perhaps you're familiar with this phenomenon. Your brain anticipates the pleasantry, and before it has time to accurately process what's actually said, provides your mouth with a response. Usually they match up, and everything works out. Sometimes, they don't. Exactly.
Other party: "See you later."
Me: "You too."
Almost correct, but ... not quite. Sorry, brain, the pleasantry you were were looking for was "have a good day.'" Nice effort, though.
See also, closely related area: the slightly inappropriate pleasantry. Much like the slightly inappropriate response to a pleasantry, except this one is initiated by you. I interviewed someone a couple of weeks ago. As we shook hands before I passed the candidate off to her next host, I somehow ended our series of farewell niceties with, "I'll see you later." Um. Not necessarily.
Somehow, I almost always do this in situations where it doesn't make sense. I'm not nervous. I'm not intimidated. I'm just ... not thinking.
I've fallen victim time and time again to my blanked out brain. As a result, for years (done on purpose) my mother would always say "I love you" and I would say, "Me too". Obviously meaning that I loved her and not myself!
ReplyDeleteI have also done this at the movies.
Person: "Enjoy your movie."
Me: "You too."
Oh, I have absolutely done the movie scenario myself. If not that, something really similar.
ReplyDeleteI've done that with trips, where the person at the gate goes, "Have a nice trip." And I go, "You, too." Um. Except you're not going anywhere. Oops.
ReplyDelete