Social Blunders

I have never been a graceful person. I don’t have a spring in my step, I simply stomp my way around. Sometimes I just do not think about the consequences that might emerge after finding my self involved in a sticky situation. Yet despite my ability to fuck up well in public, I have come to turn the other cheek and lose all shame in my actions. My faux pas are the things that have made my life a little more exciting. And at least I can make people laugh with my social blunders.

I shall give you an example. A little while ago I was in a popular fast food restaurant with some friends. After getting our food we headed to a table. I wanted to sit at one particular table which was covered in mess and what looked like leftovers. Naturally my friends just said, “there’s plenty of other tables to choose from” but I had set my eyes on the big red table in the distance. I headed over tutting at the state these inconsiderate people had left the table in. So reaching down I began to pick up the mess put it in an empty bag and I threw it away. *cough* *cough*
I turned to see a man and two young boys stood next to me. My mouth dropped. One of the boys started crying as he realised I’d just thrown his free toy away. I felt so bad! But if that wasn’t blunder enough, rather than apologising and explaining that I thought it was mess, I picked up my food and ran away. Yes. I literally ran from the severely pissed off man and crying children. I still think that situation has tainted my karma.

I can look at this scenario now and laugh but at the time I felt like I was going to vomit. I love to make people chuckle and this story does the trick so at least some good came out of me ruining a family meal.

But what can you do? None of us are perfect but yet as soon as one mistake, big or small is made we are judged by the people around us. Isn’t society supposed to be harmonious and understanding. You see someone trip up a curb in the street…naturally you laugh but in many cases that person feels mortified and hurries off in hope that their mistake was not seen. (Although they know it was). But being clumsy is surely not a blunder? Its not a mistake to be born with bad balance is it? I’m one of the clumsiest people you will ever meet. I have hurt myself on more than one occasion from my lack of balance. And I’m not sitting here defending myself of faux pas. I know people laugh when I fall over in public. But I laugh when it happens to someone else too. I don’t think it makes us bad people.

But my blunders have sprouted other paths in ways I never knew were socially unacceptable. I moved to London for example about 6 months ago. In my home town of Banbury it is perfectly acceptable to sit next to someone on a bus or train and strike up a conversation. But not here. I just get a string of people in shock and disgust that I even opened my mouth. I swear one person thought I was an escaped mental patient!

But why is this a blunder? Why is it socially unacceptable? The tubes in London are simply some of the most depressing places I’ve been in. Do you not think it is some strange phenomenon to see a train packed but to see everyone avoiding eye contact with everyone around them? In fact, apart from the rumbling of the train, people breathing is all you can here. I actually find it quite a sad and melancholy environment.

All I suggest is that you forget societies restrictions on your natural self. If your social blunders can make someone laugh, smile or join in then why should it be considered a blunder. I think it’s more beautiful than that.