PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

Yesterday I had one of my most embarassing moments, and my co-workers got quite a howl out of it!  It turns out I walked from the bathroom all the way back to my desk (quite a walk!) with at least a 4 ft. train of toilet paper tucked into my slacks and trailing on the ground behind me.  One co-worker stopped me and told me I had toilet paper...  I thought she meant on my shoe, but when I found out I had a long trail behind me, I was mortified -- my first thought was to go home because I was so embarassed.  She and another co-worker laughed so hard they had tears coming out of their eyes.  It WAS funny!  I just laughed with the rest of them -- what else could I do???

Oh dear - well, at least it wasn't your skirt tail tucked into the waistband!  



I did that once, and walked thru the office lobby!  I felt the breeze and realized quickly what it was, but I wanted to sink into the floor.  The security guard grinned at me for months afterward  

I know how you're feeling.  While I haven't had that happen to me (at least not yet!), I did have one very embarrassing moment that my coworker and I still laugh about.



There was a meeting going on in the conference room that is directly across from the alcove where my coworker and I had our desks.  The door to the conference room was wide open (why don't they shut doors during meetings???).  The floors in our building had been waxed the night before.  Because we work in a dirty environment, we kept a small rug at the entrance to our area so people could wipe their feet before stepping on our carpet.  I'm sure you've all guessed already what happened - I came around the corner of my desk in a hurry, the rug slipped on the freshly waxed floor, and I went splat - right in front of the conference room full of men.  As I lay on the floor, I noticed the dead silence that came over the room.  Then I heard this little voice say "Are you alright?"  Of course, I wasn't alright - I wanted to DIE!!!!!  However, I kept my dignity, replied that I was fine, and got to my feet.  Then I made the mistake of looking over at my coworker, who was doubled over in laughter.  That was it for us for the rest of the day - all we had to do was look at each other and off we went!!!  My coworker, trying to help me look on the bright side of things, said, "Well it would have been worse if you'd been wearing a skirt."  So I guess there is always a silver lining - thank goodness I was wearing slacks that day!!

DragonLady... just another reminder why I don't like to wear skirts.  



Ohiosec, at least you were able to laugh about it.  It would have been worse, and longer remembered, if you had taken the sullen, quiet route.  And the laughter probably made your day a bit brighter, and llightened the emotional load on everyone who joined in.     But did you ever find the large hole, that hole we all wish would suck us up when we do something like this, rewind time, and give us a chance to do it again and get it right?  I'm still searching for that hole... would help on some of the well-meaning foot-in-mouth episodes I've had in the past.    

Thank you for the laugh, I really needed this!



I work with a guy who is a real cut up and practical joker.  One time, he was out with some guys from work.  He went to the washroom with one of his regional managers.  He told the RM that he would give him $1 if he walked back to his seat in the restaurant with toilet paper stuck to his foot.  So the RM went back to his seat with a really long piece of toilet paper stuck to his foot (it wound through the restaurant).  



You could always tell your co-worker that it was part of a bet.

OHHHH!!!! I did the back of my dress in the pantyhose thing...and almost walked into the LOBBY of the office building where I used to work!!!  Thank heavens I felt the draft before anyone got a really good look. (And a good look it would have been to, since the pantyhose were pretty darned sheet to the waist!)  And let me tell you, anyone that would have gotten a look at that one, surely would have been mortified to see what probably looked like to cats fighting in a pair of pantyhose walking toward the elevator!



Daisylee



(Who ALWAYS does a "clothing check" before leaving the bathroom!)

Ever since I saw the episode on Designing Wormen about Julia walking down the runway (modeling) with her skirt in the back of her pantyhose, I ALWAYS do a clothing check when I leave the bathroom.  I'm paranoid about stuff like that!

Well, there was the first and only time I tried thigh-hi stockings.  I could feel the elastic "going" in the one leg and was on my way to the bathroom to see what I could do about it, when one of the bossies (not my own) stopped me to ask me a stupid question.  As I was answering I could feel the band s-l-i-d-i-n-g down over my knee.  Well, okay it's a mid-calf length skirt so I'm not in trouble yet.  Then he asks me another question!  And another!  By the time he was done yapping, the stupid stocking was crumpled around my ankle!  He didn't notice, but everybody else in the office did!  So, I tried to salvage my dignity by holding my head high and calmly walking to the bathroom, but instead I TRIPPED over it!  I think it wasMark Twain who wrote, "At this point we will draw the curtain of mercy over the rest of the scene."  



Needless to say, I never wore the damn things again!

Just remembered my most embarassing moment at work (I guess I tried to blot it out of my memory).



It was September 11 so you can understand why my mind was elsewhere.  There were about ten of us (bossie #1, #2, GK and a few others) and we were supposed to be in an all day meeting.  The meeting was at our other office where I have only been once or twice so I was not that familiar with the facilities.



We were late getting started and a few minutes into the meeting someone let us know what was happening in New York.  GK insisted that we continue anyway but no one was really concentrating.



By 10:00 we decided that continuing the meeting at that time would be fruitless.  We would break then and then reconvene at around 1:00.  My first thought was to go to the bathroom.  I ran into the cubicle and sat down.  Next thing I know I can hear GK's voice.  I'm thinking "Hey, GK's in the lady's room".  Then I can hear bossie #2's voice.



Yup, you guessed it, I was in the men's room.  Washed my hands and departed in a hurry.  I thought I looked at the door!  And to this day, I swear (even though I have been told otherwise) that there were no urinals in that washroom.

RadarO, that reminds me of the time many years ago when I was at Max & Ermas.  It was my birthday and I had had a few drinks and had to go to the bathroom.  Well, the caricature of Erma was on the men's room door with her pointing to the left toward the ladies room.  But after so many drinks I didn't see her pointing, only the larger picture, Erma.  You guessed it, I went in the men's room.  No one was in there and I didn't have a clue (didn't even see the urinals...guess I did have too much to drink!)...until I heard some people come in and men started talking.  Then it clicked!  Oh noooooooo.  I waited until I didn't hear any more voices then made a mad dash out of there.  Whew!  That was a close one!

::::memo to self... always triple check bathroom doors, and take a sober girlfriend with me if I've been drinking::::::



Man, that would be embarrassing!  I've almost done it a time or two and thought that was bad enough.  Now at least I  know I'm in good company if I actually end up doing it.  Thank goodness you both made it out without the guys noticing or you'd never have heard the end of it!

Nope, ran into bossie #2 when hurrying out of the washroom (thank goodness he wasn't using the urinal!!!)  We did have a good chuckle and left it at that.



GK is from another company and is a loudmouth bully but luckily he is also based in Texas so I never see him.  Besides it would be "beneath" him to converse with a lowly assistant.

My sister in law is a Head Start teacher whose idea of "dressed up" is wearing something other than jeans.  She and her colleagues were attending a conference at a large hotel and she was feeling very elegant until she realized she had done the skirt-in-your-panties routine and was wearing KNEE HIGHS (her skirt was long so she thought she could get away with it).  She walked through the large lobby and down a long corridor to the meeting room before someone called her attention to it!  She felt only a little better when someone else pointed out she would probably never go back there!

I had to stop a co-worker as she left the ladies room because her skirt was tucked in her panty hose and she was soooo thankful, but has anyone ever "noticed" a guy's fly open and didn't know what to say?  With my son I'd say XYZ and he'd grab his zipper but with co-workers it's a little embarrassing.  Has anyone had that problem and what did you say to the guy?  Thanks and have a great Thursday.  

I know. What a dilemma!  Do you let the poor guy walk around unzipped or do you admit that you were looking at his crotch (not for that reason but you just happened to notice this!).  If it were my boss, I would definitely let him know discreetly but someone else....  At least if it's spinach in the teeth, that is sooooo much easier.

I learned the hard way not to eat a jelly donut while driving to work.



I took one bite and all the jelly went out both sides!



I had jelly on my blouse, in my hair, on my seatbelt, in my lap, and on my chin.



Luckily I had two napkins in my glove compartment and managed to wipe off most of it.



But it was still quite obvious. I rushed into the office, got someone to cover my receptionist desk for me and ran into the bathroom. I had to run my hair under the faucet to get the sticky mess out. Luckily we have hand dryers in the bathrooms at work so I was able to dry off once I had gotten it all under control.



At first the coworkers who saw me thought it was blood. But once I explained what happened we all had a good laugh.

Solargal,



I have been in that same position before.  You see the guy's fly is open, but you don't feel comfortable saying something.  How I've handled that situation in the past is by rushing up to a male, explain the situation and ask him to tell the fellow his fly is open.  Much more discreet and less embarrassing for all involved.



WhiteSatin

You know, for either case, either a guy's fly open or a woman's skirt in her pantyhose... whether or not I tell them depends on who they are. If they are my friend, are generally nice to me, or I don't know them too well, I'll politely tell them to fix themselves, b/c you know, I want to know these sorts of things myself. But if they're mean to me, a jerk, or something of that nature, heck, they are on their own! Serves them right! I have told complete strangers about this kind of problem, it's a bit embarrassing, but you know, they are more embarrassed than you, and generally pretty thankful that you stopped to tell them.

I agree with ssc... if it's someone I know and like, or don't know, then I tell them.  Even the men are more embarrassed than I am telling them (and a quick matter-of-fact statement like "your zippers down" tends to take care of it).  If you're mean or hateful -- life sucks, huh?    My one way of getting even with those folks who make my life he77 on a regular basis.



It's also why I try to always be nice, kind, and friendly to everyone.  You never know when you'll need someone to be willing to point something like this out to you and don't want them to say "oh, it's her... nope, not telling".  

All I do is bounce right up to a chap and ask him if he has a licence to fly that low!  



As for getting into the wrong bathroom, I was in Brussels airport a while back, and two of the ladies bathrooms were being cleaned, so it was about a half mile walk along the terminal to find the next one. At this place, the men's room was being cleaned, but that didn't stop all the blokes casually wandering into the ladies' instead! Obviously doesn't bother the Continentals...

Yesterday a coworker I'm quite close to accidentally passed gas in front of me.  I said, "Uh, I'm not sure how to respond to that.  Bless you?"  She was embarassed, but I think this helped her feel better, because she covered her face with her hands and laughed pretty hard.

Future.. I'm going to have to remember that line!  I love it!  what a casual way to let them know to check it.    

Well I was walking down a hallway at work when I felt my slip slipping.. dropped right down to my ankles... There was someone coming but he ducked into an office as I ducked into the ladies room, so I thought perhaps he hadn't seen... until I walked the rest of the way down the hall and found him doubled over with laughter in the office...



sighs....



Marie

Spitfire, such a similar story has happend to me years ago, too:

I've had an interview for a new job. I was very nervous, and the guy I was talking to was a little bit, hm, arrogant.

Well, he walked away to show me the company's rooms. He walked through the door, and along the corridor. I followed him. Or better: I tried to follow him. Because they had waxed their floor, too, and it was very slippery.

 

So I went splat, and while falling, I banged on the wall on the other side of the corridor, too. Wow, it makes a terrible loud noice.

The guy just looked over his shoulder, saw me laying on the floor, and kept on walking.



BTW: I didn't get those job, and I'm glad about it  



Nicole