1. I was at a university meeting that was to be followed by dinner. Only I hadn't been told. So there I was in my blue jeans, Toronto Maple Leafs t-shirt and pin-striped jacket wondering why everyone was dressed so nicely, when the then-Master of the college, Lord ______ entered. Turned out I was to be seated right beside him... the only person not in black tie in the Hall.
2. At another university dinner, this time in an official capacity (so I was dressed formally), I had no idea that I was talking to a local MP. Only even after I was told, I got her mixed up with her Welsh Assembly counterpart (of a different party), and in the hope of being complimentary, ended up insulting her. At least I think she did, because she immediately walked away without so much as a handshake.
And that's just the beginning. Thinking about it, I have made a right fool of myself at times.
Anyone else?
My dad took a job as an education inspector (pre offsted it was his job to sit at the back of the classroom and make your teacher shit themselves)
When he applied for the job its was to cover 'Art and design' by the time it came to interview it was for 'Art design and craft and technology' and when he accepted it somehow 'special eduction' had been slipped in there as well and little niche extras kept being sneaked in as he worked his notice before starting in the new post.
In the week he started in post there was a big education conference he had to speak at and was his introduction to a lot of the people he'd now be working with.
So he stood up and introduced himself, and reeled off the list of subject areas he was in charge of - "art, design, craft, technology, domestic science, special education..... and I've just been told today that I'm responsible for all the pregnant teenagers in Greater Manchester"
I remember someone on here starting a thread about Joe Cocker pegging it about two years after the event. Does that count?
Marriage.
When I was in the bank, talking to a colleague at a works night out...
"You were in <branch redacted>"
"Aye, it's rubbish now but it used to be good"
"Oh I know somene who works there... Who was your financial advisor?"
"<name redacted> She was great! Really liked working with her, top person, one of the best", carried on these theme for a while. Really unlike me, I don't generally say nice things about people.
"She's ****ing my husband"
"...These breadstick things are good eh?"
I remember someone on here starting a thread about Joe Cocker pegging it about two years after the event. Does that count?
Either no one was really that ignorant, or else if they did it, they were being ironic. That's what I figure.
😳
Back in my TA days I had my troop(platoon) formed up and was notifed that the Princess Royal was paying a flying visit and we needed to look our best.
I turned round and spotted one of my chaps was wearing an ancient '68 pattern jacket that was completely faded whilst everyone else was in their newly issued '95 kit.
I shouted "Khan get to the rear rank you are the wrong colour".
Yes, he was the only soldier in my troop from an ethnic minority 😳