My embarrassing shopping story

@Fleura (28956)
United Kingdom
November 11, 2022 5:32am CST
This is for you @JudyEv, and @DaddyEvil A few years ago, when I had a child in a pushchair (buggy) I had gone into town to do some shopping, something I rarely do, and in one shop I needed to go upstairs (why do shops often have the children’s clothes and shoes upstairs??) I made my way through the racks of ladies’ clothes, where one or two other women were browsing, to the lift and pressed the button in the usual way. When the lift came I got in and pressed the button to go up. The doors closed. The lift seemed to move very smoothly. After a little while the doors opened again and I walked out. After a few steps I realised that I was walking past the same racks of clothes, and the same women perusing them. They must have seen me get into the lift, stand there for a minute or two, and then get out again I didn’t have the nerve to get back in the lift a second time. I walked out and went to a different shop All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.
10 people like this
10 responses
@LadyDuck (454987)
• Switzerland
11 Nov 22
I do not laugh because this happened to you, but because this happened this morning to my husband.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (454987)
• Switzerland
11 Nov 22
@Fleura He stepped inside the elevator to go downstairs in the parking because he forgot something in the car. I was waiting for him in front of the elevator. I saw him stepping out and he looked surprised to see me there, he thought to be downstairs.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
11 Nov 22
@LadyDuck He must have thought you had run downstairs quickly to surprise him!
2 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
11 Nov 22
Really? That's so funny!
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
11 Nov 22
I would have asked if there was something wrong with the elevator. It wouldn't have bothered me at all.
3 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
11 Nov 22
It wouldn't have bothered me the least bit, either.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
11 Nov 22
@MALUSE I'm surprised it bothered Fleur. She seems more sensible than to let it bother her.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
11 Nov 22
@DaddyEvil I just felt like an idiot!
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (93514)
• Marion, Ohio
11 Nov 22
That would be a little embarrassing. At first I was expecting you to say you forgot baby.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
11 Nov 22
I don't think I have done that.... at least I still have the two I started with and it's a few years ago now
2 people like this
@paigea (35513)
• Canada
13 Nov 22
That's what I was expecting
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
11 Nov 22
"I didn’t have the nerve to get back in the lift a second time." -- I don't understand this. Where's the problem? Why is it embarrassing to get into a lift a second time?
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
11 Nov 22
@Fleura No, I'd think there was something wrong with the elevator if they did that.
3 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
11 Nov 22
@Fleura So what? I could live with people thinking that I'm a bit odd.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
11 Nov 22
If you saw someone get into a lift, stay there for a little while without going anywhere, and then get out again in the same place they started, wouldn't you think they were a bit odd?
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203755)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Nov 22
Fortunately for me, as a psychologist, I am well (perhaps overly) aware of the inherent narcissism in most of us (myself included), and know that most people could give a gnat's fart (thank you @Maluse) about what I am doing, or how stupid I might look. I probably would have exited the elevator (lift) as if I had done exactly what I intended to do, found the stairs, "driven" the buggy up said stairs backwards , and proceeded as if nothing had happened.
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
13 Nov 22
Indeed, you should have. I think you should discuss your problem with a psychiatrist! I've never understood why so many people have such little self-confidence and why so many people are convinced that other people have an interest in them and watch them closely. Most people are not interested in other people and notice nothing. Every policeman can tell you this. Pople who've witnessed a crime very rarely can describe the criminal correctly. Once I was in Italy on an exchange visit with our school. At the end of the stay there was a grand evening at the local theatre where the pupils performed this and that. It was my task to announce the German group. Just before I went onto the stage (something frightening in itself if you aren't a habitual performer) I noticed that part of the hem of my skirt was loose and hanging down. What could I do? Nothing, of course. So I went onto the stage and behaved as if everything was fine. Nobody, neither a German nor an Italian, mentioned that my skirt looked quite odd. They all concentrated on my speech which I delivered in Italian. My Italian isn't perfect but I've never had problems because of this because it was always much better than the German (non existent) or the English (horrible) the Italians know.
3 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
13 Nov 22
@MALUSE @TheHorse Just because no-one commented doesn't mean no-one noticed, they may just have been too polite or too embarrassed to comment on it!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203755)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Nov 22
@MALUSE The "imaginary audience" phenomenon is supposedly most prevalent among teenagers. Adults with social anxiety may also experience it. I wonder if I've ever given a lecture with my fly down, and if so, if anyone noticed.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
12 Nov 22
How funny. We all have these little stories I guess. We have to laugh at ourselves.
2 people like this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
12 Nov 22
Absolutely, a sense of humour is crucial!
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
12 Nov 22
@Fleura Yes it will take us far in life.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Nov 22
Oh dear!! At least you would have given the women some amusement. That's if they even noticed!
1 person likes this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
11 Nov 22
They did see me, if they hadn't been looking I might have given it a second try
1 person likes this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
12 Nov 22
@JudyEv Yep, same (not that we had any 100 acre paddocks, but you know what I mean!) And I still do that kind of thing too!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323745)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Nov 22
@Fleura Any time I fell off my horse in the middle of a 100 acre paddock, I immediately looked round to see if anyone was looking!
1 person likes this
@paigea (35513)
• Canada
13 Nov 22
I'd probably do the same
1 person likes this
@Fleura (28956)
• United Kingdom
13 Nov 22
I felt very foolish that I hadn't noticed we were not actually moving!
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (15772)
• United States
12 Nov 22
That is funny. Sounds like something I would do
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (17783)
• London, England
13 Nov 22
Maybe, you dozed off and the lift went up and then back to the floor you started from!